The Glade Family

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T20:38:00.000-07:00

This year Rob picked out costumes for the family. I agreed with him that we really did need to take advantage of our children's complacence, since I believe this is the last year we can choose TJ's costume for him.

My little Chewbaca enjoying hotdogs@ our church's Halloween party.
Andy really was the cutest Yoda I've ever seen. He got a little hot in his robes, which is too bad since they were SO CUTE. I feel a little bad I didn't get a picture of me holding him all dolled out.

Our friends, the Fifes, also dressed up as Star Wars. I think we have almost every character represented.

And since I just can't resist that smile, here's one more:

He Crawls!!!! and other news

2011-10-18T11:34:00.000-07:00

Somehow I'm WAY behind on posting again. This keeps happening to me! And Rob has the camera at work with him, so I'm limited in what I can post pics of right now.

September/early October kept us busy, mostly in good ways.

-TJ turned 3 (pics later)

-Andy started to crawl--well, army-crawl really, and it's not too pretty, but who's going to criticize the little guy? After all, he's only 5 months old(!!!), which is way too young to be crawling around at all. But he can get where he wants to go, and he can really cover some ground. The week he turned 5 months is the week he started crawling, too. And I thought TJ was an early crawler. This video is about 10 days old already, so he's already drastically improved. It's amazing how every day he's better and faster than the day prior. I love this age.

-a foot surgery for me

-a visit from my mom (and since the camera was in Guatemala with Rob, this largely went unphotographed; which is maybe just as well, since I couldn't really walk, so it was more of a work-trip for her than a fun trip).

-Rob went to Guatemala to operate with Iaomai Medical Ministries. Check out the trip blog here and a photo blog here (shots taken by the fabulous Josh Newton, whose work is likely all over your iPod, as he does lots of cover work for musicians).

-a new haircut for me (I'm loving it). Sorry for the lousy self-photos

And here are a few fun shots from Parkhurst Pumpkin Patch and farm this week:

4 Months Old

2011-09-02T14:12:00.000-07:00

Dear Andy,

Happy Four-Months-Old Day! I'm happy you are growing, and I think you are, too; you seem to think this whole helpless baby business is for the birds. I can tell that you are ready to get living.
You've been a finger-sucker for weeks now, but in the past month you have developed a clear preference for your right thumb. You are also ridiculously strong. You've been rolling front-to-back for a little over a month now, and this week you've learned how to roll back-to-front. You do not enjoy being on your back, and now that you can roll off of it, I doubt you'll ever lay and play with a mobile again.

You are enjoying (and demanding!) much more interaction. You smile, laugh, coo and giggle, and love having everyone pay attention to you.

The Bumbo has been a good thing for you, and you like to command the troops from your seat on high.

You are also sleeping through the night, albeit not always willingly, *wink, wink*.

TJ enjoys you more and more as you become more interactive, too. Here he is arranging stickers on your head:

We've been working really hard to get you taking bottles well again, as mommy is having a little foot surgery at the end of September. Boo. No Fall marathons for me. Alas, there's always Spring.

Yeah, actually, that's how I feel about it, too:

You still think you have to be held ALL THE TIME, but I know it's just because it's so much easier to be involved that way.

Generally speaking, the day a baby starts to crawl is to be dreaded; however, with you I think it will be a good thing.

Maybe you're just channelling all the frustration around you, though. This has seriously been the longest, hottest summer ever. We've barely been able to set foot outside (except to go to the pool in the evenings when it's cooler) since May. Blech. Bring on September!

All Dogs Go To Heaven

2011-08-28T16:29:00.000-07:00

This weekend

I could have expected lots of things.

Like maybe a post about my sweet baby AndrewAnd how he is growing and changing.
Or maybe a post about our trip to Great Wolf Lodge,

an indoor/outdoor waterpark in Dallas

and how darling Andy was in his frog suit

and how I couldn't get a decent picture of TJ

because he wouldn't get out of the pool and stop moving

for long enough for the flash to go off

But life gets pretty unexpected

I never expected to be posting about a dog.

Chasqui

July 5, 2004- August 27, 2011

We adopted Chasqui from MSGAO in August of 2007

and he's just BEEN there ever since
I'm so used to him, I don't even think about it.

A hip-height shadow

that follows me through my day

room to room:

Lays by me while I fold the laundry

Joins us on the floor of TJ's room every night for prayer

The house is strange to me without the sound of dog tags

TJ has loved him from day one

I think he liked having another creature at his eye level

they've spent thousands of hours this close together

foreground or background

he's just been there

the family dog

I Google'd "dog poems"

they were all cheesy and terrible

and Chasqui may have been a doofus,

but never cheesy or stupid.

Nothing really expressed how I felt.

So I gave it up.

Robert Frost's "Fire and Ice" kept coming to mind:

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

Not that it has anything to do with dogs.

It doesn't.

But it does have to do with passion.

So maybe that's why.

I think we always knew we'd lose Chasqui in some bizarre accident

I just always thought it would involve food

after all the near misses:

the stolen turkey

the two batches of chocolate cookies

and the ever famous Christmas rolls

(yes, you may laugh)

The bizarre accident was all heat and running.

So I guess what killed him was doing what he loved,

even if it's not how he died.

I'm not sure what to tell TJ when he says,

"Chasqui, again?"

or, "Mommy, get a NEW Chasqui?"

"Chasqui" was what the King's messengers were called

on the Inca Trail.

They were elite sprinters.

We always thought it fitting.

If I have a regret it's that we didn't get to tell him "goodbye"

Kristen, I'm so grateful you sat with him.

No dog should leave alone.

Run swift, buddy

You were a good dog

and will be missed

Laundry Days

2011-08-16T09:33:00.000-07:00

TJ has been so fun lately. He's really growing up right now. I love the phase he's in. Some days I want to tear my hair out because he is SUCH a two-year-old, but he can also be wonderfully charming and sweet and clever. Lately he has learned to say his own prayers. It's so darling, my heart melts; and his "prayer voice" is hysterical.

Last Fall we worked with him on getting potty trained. He did really well for a while, and then it just petered off and he decided he wasn't all that interested in it. He's so strong-willed, I decided not to fight him. This summer, he has decided for himself that he wants to wear underwear. It's the funniest thing. He has a collection of red briefs, and he is really motivated to keep them clean and dry. He still asks to wear diapers sometimes, but not very often. This is one time when his stubborn independence has worked FOR me. Not so much so when he decides to pour his own cup of milk. Yikes.

The red obsession has not abated. If anything it has intensified (the red briefs and his desire to keep them clean is another example of how his stubborn idiosyncrasies can work for me). I do entire loads of red laundry. When sorting dirty clothes, my piles are: whites, darks, mediums, and reds. It thrills TJ to no end when other people wear red as well, so Rob, Andy and I all have more red shirts than we used to.

I took a picture of TJ's closet after I did laundry this weekend:

He also really likes pink and salmon. He calls it "light red". In fact, the second shirt from the left is one of his favorites. It has a picture of a lobster on it, and the caption "Snappy". I like to put it one him on his grumpy days. For some reason I get a kick out of seeing him throw major temper tantrums while wearing it.

Andy turned 3 months old 2 weeks ago. I did take lots of pictures that day, but could never get one without his hands crammed in his mouth. The kid is a little turkey. The pediatrician told me he is definitely a high-needs baby. The vindication has made me feel a whole lot better about life. It hasn't changed anything, but knowing that it's not all in my head makes me feel like less of a failure. Just the same, I can't wait for him to get a little older.

Long HOT Summer Days

2011-07-15T20:36:00.000-07:00

We've been really busy, but not with blog-worthy things. Mostly we're just trying to keep cool. We've had 23 days in a row of 100plus degree days; it actually rained this week and broke the streak--one day stayed in the 90s--but now we're right back up in the over 100 degree days again. Last Saturday Rob's work had an outdoor party to welcome the new residents; it was 111 degrees (with humidity!) that day; some welcome, huh? It's been really hard on TJ to not be able to play outside much. We've been going to the pool tons, but he really misses just being able to run in the yard. Some days he still tries. I love this picture, because it's so easy to see just how HOT he is.
I took a photography class some time ago, and have been tinkering around with cameras and lenses and reading photography books while I nurse. Not to mention I have such cute little subjects to photograph... I've been reading alot about the technical aspect of making photos, and playing around with it. I'm rather pleased with some of the effects that can be achieved through aperture adjustments.
And I've been busy stalking Andy in an attempt to capture one of his elusive, darling smiles. He's been smiling for more than a month now, and this is the best I've managed yet:
It's hard to get a picture of a smile, because he only smiles at people, not at mechanical objects like cameras. And I have to say, that when we're sitting and having a smiles session, I'm loath to interrupt it with a camera. I love this shot of his pretty eyes:

And aren't my men handsome? I'm so happy Rob has some sons in his life. He's such a good daddy.

Andy keeps getting cuter and cuter. He's relapsed in a horrible way this week: he had been sleeping through night, and this week he stopped. It's actually been pretty rough, he's been up way too much wanting to eat and party and socialize. His smiles are so darling, but not between the hours of 1 and 5AM. Unfortunately, I've been seeing way too many of them, though.

Gotta love those eyes. A set of chocolate ones, and it looks like a set of blue ones, wouldn't you say?

Yes, he's still here.

Today I mopped the floors. TJ figured if I was doing it, it MUST be fun. He kept asking for the mop, and saying "TJ have a turn, TJ turn?". I gave him the mop when I was finished, and he "mopped" for the next hour!!! Now, can I teach him to effectively clean toilets? When does it stop being fun? How can I harness this wonderful energy?

Please note the outfit. He dressed himself today. Okay, he dresses himself most days. All-red days are particularly funny to me; he tends to insist on a red shirt most days, and he loves these silly red socks. But he'll usually allow me to temper the look with, say, denim or khaki shorts. Not today. Pick your battles, eh?

4th of July

2011-07-04T20:37:00.000-07:00

This year was our first 4th of July in Oklahoma. We mostly just took it pretty easy and hung around the house, watched a movie, and caught our breath; life has been hectic lately. I didn't want to keep TJ up late enough to see the real firework show (it started at 10, and TJ's usual bed-time is 7:30), so we invited some friends over for for a swim at the neighborhood pool and little fireworks in the front yard. The pool ended up closing early due to "weather" (ha ha, only it wasn't so funny), so we just let the kids run in the backyard with the kiddie pool and the hose as the adults bemoaned the heat.

Fireworks were fun. TJ was timid and wanted to stay close to dad, but overall liked the fireworks. Particularly the red ones. Last year fireworks just made him cry at first, and I'm not sure if he ever really warmed up to them, so he's definitely come a ways from last years' reaction: although he still didn't want to hold a sparkler (this actually does surprise me, he's such a spunky kid).

2 Months Old

2011-07-04T20:09:00.001-07:00

Andy turned 2 months old this weekend. He has made alot of progress during the past month, and we are all getting more sleep. In fact, his night-sleep has made leaps and bounds, and he is sleeping through the night 75% of the time; when he does wake up, he generally eats and goes back to sleep. Bliss. Life is looking so much better than it did four weeks ago. He's also gotten really smiley this month. I STILL haven't gotten a really good picture of a smile, despite numerous attempts; although some of these are definitely happy faces, and you can see the echo of a smile contained therein.

He's gotten more aware of the world, and is looking around and interested. He can push his torso up to an up-dog (or push-up) position easily, and is ridiculously strong. He has rolled from his tummy to his back many times now, although I believe it's always been an accident and has scared him (this usually happens in the middle of the night, and is contributing to the 25% of NOT sleeping through the night). But the biggest acheivement of all is that he went from being a really difficult baby, to a really nice baby. He overcame his illnesses and ailments, started on reflux medication, and it has really helped him. Now that he's feeling better, he has really calmed down and is settling into his own skin and adjusting to the world and being alive.

The rudiments of a schedule are starting to take place: he is starting to wake up roughly the same time every morning (between 6:30-7:40), and he is ready for bed about the same time every night (8pm or so). I'm also seeing daytime sleep just beginning to organize. It's really bothered me not having a schedule; in fact, I think the hardest thing about a new baby for me is the lack of structure and a schedule. It makes me realize just how structured I have become.

One night just before I went into labor, I sat down and wrote out TJ's schedule, such that a stranger could have taken care of him easily-- the point is that TJ had a set schedule; he gets up the same time, eats the same time, naps the same time, has similar activites at a set time every day. And that's the way I like it. Infants have no such set routine until the parent helps them form one. I'm in that process with Andy, and life is definitely getting better. He is a really pleasant little chap.

Kitties

2011-06-27T18:44:00.001-07:00

TJ loves cats. Curious George used to be the only television show he was interested in, but about a month ago Rob recorded a documentary about kittens off of Animal Planet; now he asks for the kitties more than he asks for the monkey. I can't remember exactly when the cat-love began, but it was prior to Christmas, since one of the things I looked the hardest for for a Santa gift was a big stuffed cat. Anyways. Sufficient to say that the cat-love has gone on for a while, and he's had time to accumulate a menagerie of cats.

You may notice he has two of the little white calico cat; the first rather mangy, the second a recent and miraculous acquisition--it's his favorite that he hauls everywhere with him, and I've learned the hard way how important it is to him: in late February the cat fell out of the car (unbeknown to us) during a long, busy Saturday of errands. We did not notice his absence until bedtime. Now if you know TJ, you know how important it is to him to have all of his precious treasures present for bedtime. The sorrow and devastation was sudden and absolute. In the face of such tragedy, there was really nothing to do but jump in the car and start searching (after an Internet search confirmed that the cat had been discontinued, and was sold out everywhere). I drove from Edmond, to the Mercy campus, to downtown Oklahoma. It took at least an hour. It was a blustery, cold day, and I'll never forget the relief I felt when my headlights lit upon a small black and white lump in the parking lot of the Indian restaurant we'd had dinner at. He'd been run over, and was definitely worse for the wear, but I'd found him. The first thing TJ said the next morning, was, tearfully, "the white kitty-cat?". I felt like a super-hero when I presented it. Just before Andy was born, I came across the second white cat at the bottom of the clearance rack in PBK. Remembering that night(and since he won't sleep without it), I bought the last two they had in stock.
TJ plays with his cats all the time.

He carries the white one around everywhere. He sleeps with all of them. He watches TV with them (George, or one of the many cat documentary and nature shows now filling our DVR). He even eats with them at the table. He likes to line them up in rows

And study them intently until he has them arranged just right

The past couple of days he's been carrying his cat around in this little red bucket

I just love this kid.

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Andrew's Blessing Weekend

2011-06-21T11:43:00.001-07:00

We blessed Andrew this weekend (June 18-19). It ended up being a little earlier than we had originally planned, because Grandpa Tom and Grandma Sandy are moving (boo!). We have early church, so did not take pictures beforehand; I knew this would prove to be a mistake, and it was, as Andy peed all over his cute little linen blessing suit before we could do pictures. So I need to wash it, and take pictures of him in it later. He was mighty handsome.

We had a nice dinner, complete with watermelon,

and chocolate cake with almond roux frosting

Grandma and Grandpa alternately snuggled and romped with the boys

We are SOO going to miss having them so near! It was a bittersweet weekend.

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Level 1: Complete

2011-06-02T13:20:00.000-07:00

Dear Baby Andrew,
You are one month old today. Last night you slept nearly 6 hours at once(!!!!). It was awesome, and far and away the longest you've slept yet. I hope you do it again tonight.
You are a very sweet and alert baby, and I cannot believe how strong you are. You have been holding your head up almost since the day you were born. When I lay you on your tummy, you can inch along, and have moved up to 15 inches all on your own. Mostly, you just turn 360's; you get mad, and kick your feet, and one foot must kick harder than the other, because you will just turn circle after circle that way. I think this means you will be an early crawler.

Bath times are NOT your favorite, but you are beginning to like them a little better. Last night, you actually stopped crying when I put you in the water.

I've started sleeping you on your tummy, and you obviously prefer it, because you are doing to much better. You are so strong, you can lift your head and turn it side to side.

Big brother TJ is getting more and more interested in you. He likes to hold you, and there have been several times when you have stopped crying when TJ held you. I hope you two will be great friends as you grow up together.
You have not smiled yet, but I can see it coming. It will be soon.
Thank you for coming to join the family.
Love, Mom

I had to throw out a few pictures of TJ as a baby. I cannot believe how different these two boys look. Andrew is so fair, he looks nearly bald (he's not), although he does not have near the hair TJ did.

Baby Andrew is 1 month old today. And I have to say, it's been a long, grueling month, and I'm not real sad to see it end. I am so grateful to have had such an awesome delivery, because there simply was no time in the month for me to recover; I am so grateful to have had the strength to deal with all that May dished out for us.
Andy was born on May 2nd, a Monday. We left the hospital on Tuesday. Thursday night, he cried ALL NIGHT LONG. I nursed him for hours and hours, and finally, at 5am, I handed him off to Rob, along with a bottle of formula. He guzzled the bottle and fell into exhausted slumber... and my heart broke. I went through such horrible breastfeeding problems with TJ, I just didn't know if I had it in me to do it again. Friday was spent rushing to appointments trying to diagnose the problem: Andrew was tongue-tied; he had been unable to latch properly, and hence had not properly stimulated milk production. Bottom-line: all the hours of nursing I had been doing were inadequate, and the kid was starving. Literally. He had lost more than a pound (and when you're only 8lbs to being with, that's a big deal). The hospital was unable to get me in to clip the tie until Tuesday; fortunately, I happen to know a guy who got me in for a private appointment within the hour (I KNEW marrying a doctor would eventually hit pay-dirt). However, fixing the problem wasn't enough, since my milk supply was now lagging far behind what was needed. So began the awful cycle of feeding, supplementing, pumping, stimulating. It was a nightmarish week. He cried, I cried, TJ cried for lack of attention, I cried more from feelings of guilt and inadequacy... The tears poured and poured. By the end of a week, I had made huge progress, and was nearly there...
That's when Rob got sick.
Then TJ got sick a few days later.
By Sunday, the 15th, Andrew had it, and was so snotty and congested he could barely eat anyways.
And I went down on the 18th.
You know those long, miserable, awful cold viruses, the ones you only get maybe one of per year? The ones that you just have to almost totally hibernate for days to get over? Yeah, it was one of those. And since no one was doing any sleeping, no one could get over it. We STILL sound like a family of hacking, coughing, sniveling chain-smokers. Sans the stinky smoke-smell, of course. I spent at least two weeks sitting next to a humidifier holding one child or the other. Usually in the middle of the night. My most valued possession became this nasty little snot-sucker. Buy one. Shove it in your bathroom cabinet, and forget it; but I promise you, at 2AM someday, you'll be so grateful it's there. It seems gross. I know. But it works. And, it's endorsed by several pediatric ear nose and throat physicians, including Dr. Glade. He has lots of personal experience with it. Too much, after last month. Anyways. By the 26th, Andrew was still miserable and not sleeping, which means that I was near-crazy from all the not-sleeping. I finally took him to the pediatrician, which I never bother to do (I practically live with one, why would I expose my precious ones to those germ-infested offices?). The pediatrician made me laugh. He looked in Andy's ears. Then he looked again. Then he hummed and hawed. And looked again. "Well?" I prompted him. "Well..." he said, "in anyone else's kid I would say that it's a double ear-infection. I'm a little more hesitant to call it in the ear specialist's kid." Would you believe that I had neglected to have Rob look in the poor baby's ears? Sure enough, he confirmed the two ear infections.
Later that day, a friend asked me if Andy was a good baby. I nearly burst into tears (okay, I did indeed burst into tears, but I made it out of the room first). Was he a good baby? I had NO IDEA. The first week of his life he was starving to death, so that's why he screamed all that week. Then he was sick, and screamed for 10 days because he was miserable. Then his ears hurt, so that's why he was screaming. So is he a good baby? I think the answer is "yes", but really I'm only going off of like 3-4 days of experience here. Since Tuesday of THIS WEEK, I think he finally feels O.K., for the first time in his short life. And I feel like I have a whole new baby, one that can eat, sleep, and breathe. How novel.
So I've made the past month sound awful, and it kinda was, but it definitely had it's good, as well. Mostly, it was just HARD. Really, really hard. But new babies are always hard. I'm glad that it's over, and I have a huge sense of accomplishment because we made it through, and I've learned so much about Andrew and how he works and what he needs. And I also feel like I know how bad the worst days can be, when both kids and both parents are sick, and both kids need alot NOW, and it's good to know that we can make it through those on our own. I'm grateful for all the help we had from two awesome grandmas and one swell grandpa. And I'm really excited to see what next month brings us. It will be better.

Birth Story (long version)

2011-05-13T10:26:00.000-07:00

I think I'll always have a hard time answering the question, "when did you go into labor?", or "how long were you in labor with Andrew?". It mostly started on Tuesday, April 26th. I had a doctor's appointment Tuesday morning, and as I was driving downtown to it, I had the strongest feeling that I needed to get everything finished in the next couple of days, because I would have the baby by the end of the week. I'd been having increasingly strong contractions, and had had a few other signs that labor was nearing. At my appointment, she recommended that I have my membranes stripped. I said was fine with that, so she went ahead with it. The rest of the day was quite miserable because the procedure definitely intensified and increased the contractions I was already having. Wednessday I stayed home and cleaned like a maniac, and I still had that feeling it would be soon. And the contractions kept on coming. Thursday and Friday Rob had to be out of town for work. I was really, really nervous about it, even though he was within driving distance. As much as I wanted to have the baby, I was relieved when the contractions slowed a little on Thursday. Thursday morning TJ also woke up sick, and threw up all day. It was a rough day for everyone. By Friday the contractions, although infrequent, were strong enough that I couldn't do much else while I was having one. I didn't dare drive anywhere that day, and was super relieved when Rob made it home that night. I went to a photography class that night, and the teacher took the one real picture of me pregnant with Andrew.
Saturday I sprang up out of bed with loads of energy. We packed up the car and headed downtown to the Arts Festival, went out to lunch, and generally had a nice day. That afternoon we went to the park to practice what I'd learned at my photography class while TJ played, and then we picked up take-out. I'd tried to stay busy enough all day to ignore whatever was going on with my body, but as we walked in the door, I suddenly wasn't so sure I'd be able to eat. All that night the contractions continued, although they never established a regular pattern, but they did continue slowly building in intensity. Because of the contractions (on top of the pregnancy, and the heartburn, and the bladder, etc etc), I had not been able to sleep more than a few hours a time since about Tuesday. Saturday night I was so exhausted, I just fell into bed, and did okay. Sunday morning the contractions were every 8 minutes apart, and were as strong as anything I'd experienced with my first labor. I'd had alot of bloody show over the past couple of days, so we called Rob's mom and told her to begin the two-hour drive to OKC. We were in a flurry of preparations, packing the car, and readying the house. But by the time Rob's mom arrived, the contractions had STOPPED for the first time in days. I was furious, I was so miserable, and tired of waiting for something to happen. It was a rainy, cold day, so I couldn't even go for a walk. I called the doctor, looking for some sort of reassurance or something (I couldn't help but be worried about the bizarre path the contractions were taking); the doctor on call told me that until the contractions established a regular pattern, and got closer together, nothing was going to happen, and that women could spend WEEKS in the stage I was at. I was devastated, certain I would be pregnant forever, having these erratic contractions that I could neither talk nor drive through. I had Rob drive me to Walmart so I could walk and wallow in my misery (it seemed an appropriate place), since it was too wet to be outside. I walked for a long time, came home, and the day drug on. The contractions resumed just before dinner, but again were irregular and erratic, but still gaining in intensity. I was going nuts, Googling every sign and symptom, and kept coming up with the same result: labor could be hours, days or a week away. I hauled Rob along on another long walk, this time outside. We walked three miles through the neighborhood, and although the contractions never subsided, I felt like they were diminishing in intensity. We all went to bed, and I was so tired, I slept.
I woke up suddenly and completely at 2AM to intense contractions. I turned on my phone to try to time them, but holding myself in a relaxed state was about all I could do, and I was not very successful at it. I knew they were getting pretty close together from the amount of work I was having to do to keep really relaxed and ride through them. I woke Rob up at 3AM and asked him to time for me. He only timed two or three, before jumping out of bed and starting to throw the few remaining things in the car (it was still packed from the Sunday morning false alarm). I was trying to get myself ready, get dressed, get some makeup on, etc, but I was having a really hard time doing anything except holding it together. I remember trying to put my mascara on, and that's when I started shaking. In retrospect, it's easy for me to recognize that I was entering transition, but at the time all I knew was that I could not stop shaking, and it was so hard to get up off the floor. Child's Pose (yoga) felt so good to me, it was all I wanted to do. I could hear Rob telling me that the contractions were 3 minutes apart and I HAD to get to the car, but it was just so hard to get up, and I couldn't bring myself to feel that anything was urgent other than riding the next contraction out. I think he had to half-drag me to the car.
That car ride stands out as the worst part of the entire labor. My back hurt so bad, I couldn't sit, so I hung myself over the top of the seat and rode backwards with my chest against the head rest and my weight on my knees. The dark streets and the lights and the cars on the freeway blurred into my consciousness, and it was so hard to relax, I just held on and tried to breathe. Somehow I was able to get out of the car and walk those endless hospital hallways to L&D. Rob checked me into Triage, and the nurse checked me. I was dialated nearly to a 9, and things started to move pretty fast after that. I was thrown on a gurney (still on hands and knees) pushed into a birthing suite, and there was a flurry of activity all around that I mostly ignored. They briefly made me roll onto my back (AGONY!!!) but I flipped back to my hands and knees the moment I could. I was really deeply involved in the work of labor, but also really disassociated from it. I was aware of the pain, but somehow it wasn't hurting ME, it was hurting another me. My first push broke my water, and it felt so funny hitting my calves and feet. I remember thinking "so much for those socks" and that I was so happy I wasn't wearing my favorite socks, because I was kneeling directly over my heels in a modified wide-kneed child's pose. I heard the doctor come in, and I remember really wanting to see her face before she delivered me (there wasn't time for my own doctor to arrive, so I had never met this lady before). She leaned over the side of the bed and introduced herself, and I went to work. I remember feeling really in control, and knowing it wouldn't last much longer; I was also aware of the way I was screaming my head off with every push. What can I say? It really seemed to help. I could feel the baby moving through my pelvis, and I could feel when I needed to stop and stretch for a moment. I kept thinking about "the ring of fire" I had read about when the baby's head crowns; I didn't think it felt like a ring of fire at all, just really really tight. I remember the feeling of easing the baby through, the feel of the head, the shoulders, the body, the last leg... Done! Deep breath! I could hear the baby crying, I started pulling the darn monitors off my belly, the blood pressure cuff, so I could roll over onto my back for the first time and finally see what was going on in the room around me, see my baby, see Rob beside me, see the nurses... Delivering the placenta was really easy, and happened about 5 minutes (maybe... my grasp of time wasn't so great at the moment) later. The doctor told me I didn't tear at all, and that made me so very very happy.
And they handed my baby over to me. I have to say, he looked worse for the wear after his long, long labor and ride through the birth canal. Poor kid. He latched right on, nursed briefly, and went to sleep shortly after. I threw my socks away, took a shower, and asked for a Motrin.
Compared to TJ's delivery and recovery, this has been the most amazing recovery ever. I went for a walk the day I delivered. Saturday (12 days after delivery) I ran 1/2 mile. I can't get over how great I feel. Sleep-deprived and exhausted? Yes. But I feel GOOD, and like I have the physical strength to tackle this whole motherhood thing ...
And that is the story of how Andrew was born.

A Good Big Brother

2011-05-05T18:47:00.000-07:00

TJ and baby brother Andrew Scott, born 5/2/11

5:28AM

8lbs, 19 3/4 inches

Two Cookbooks

2011-03-30T11:54:00.000-07:00

Dinner here has been an unfortunate affair for months. I have had very little appetite, and very little desire to cook. However, Rob's schedule and TJ's bedtime often form a juxtaposition that is not conducive to eating out, and I can only serve crackers and bananas for dinner so many times before the menfolk revolt; and although TJ would happily live on hot dogs, cheese and ketchup, Rob is another story. And I do still have some standards. Things were grim and had to change; but NOTHING sounded good. I would flip through the cookbooks, but I'd already barfed up way too many of my standby-recipes during 1st trimester morning sickness (and I'm still not really over it) to want to try making them--or smelling them, even--again anytime soon. Then one day while hanging out with a friend she mentioned she had dinner in a crockpot at home. Hmmm. I'd almost forgotten about that thing. Not to mention, I only really had like 3-4 recipes that we LIKE that use the crockpot. This got me thinking, though; it was time to refresh the cookbook shelf. It's been a while since I've bought some cookbooks (well, it's been a while since I've cooked), and maybe some new recipes, never before regurgitated, would help us. I researched as only an obsessive, sleep-deprived pregnant woman can, bought the 4 new cookbooks that reviewed the highest, and here are the two that I've kept, used, and liked:

Okay, so since it was the mention of a crockpot that started it all, of course I jumped on this book. This is my first America's Test Kitchen cookbook, and I really like it, but it's also really different than I expected. My experience with a crockpot was limited to throwing something in, and plugging it in. To actually get good results, a little more is required. I did have to buy a new crockpot (which I also researched long and obsessively, buying and returning multiple types; I learned you get what you pay for) since mine is from my college days, sized for one to two people, and not programmable. There is definitely more prep--including pre-browning or microwaving, etc-- required for some of these recipes than I had ever planned on; however, it works for me, because I can choose when I do the prep, such as in the morning before I start feeling rotten, or during naptime. I do tend to feel the worst in the evenings, about when dinner needs to be getting started. Cooking BEFORE that happens is a nice compromise, even if I'm not necessarily eating until 8pm or so; and my men get dinner on time. Plus, it is SO nice to be able to stay late at the park and know that dinner is waiting. So I have to recommend this book. Just know that ATK does not cut any corners; the focus is on results, not on quick and easy prep. Every meal thus far has been delicious. The most common cook-time is 4-6 hours, so those who work full-time will require a programmable pot.

This is the other book I kept. A nice traditionally-organized cookbook of appetizers, sides, breads, desserts, meats, pastas, etc. I really like the ethnic influence (one of the authors lived in Brazil for 18 months), and the recipes are much more varied and lively than I had at first expected; Mormon moms are no longer all about Cream of Chicken soup and casseroles (sigh of relief). The recipes are accessible, easy to serve a family, usually not too much prep, and again, everything we've had has been really good. Plus, it's just fun to see what other families eat, and this book definitely provides a very real snapshot of real families with children and busy lives. So even if you have no interest in the book, totally check out their blog.

A few pictures from the past week

2011-03-28T17:01:00.001-07:00

Lately, TJ has been learning how to dress himself. This sounded like a wonderful idea, until I started seeing the combinations he wants to wear. This is my favorite one of the last week. His FAVORITE color is red; can you tell?

This was another of my favorite moments of the week. He hosted a "tea party", and fed pizza to 5 stuffed cats (cats are the current favorite stuffed animal), 3 cars, and one pterodactyl.

And after a crazy day, isn't it nice to see him looking like an angel?

Did you notice that he is wearing a red shirt in every picture? Ever since about November, every shirt he wears has to have red in it, or else I can't get him to put it on. Opinionated? My son? Nah.

-- Post From My iPhone

Reasons Why, and RunAway

2011-03-01T13:02:00.000-08:00

There are lots and lots of reasons why I don't blog anymore; most of them start with a "T" and end with a "J", but there are others as well. For example, I can't find my camera ANYWHERE, and I generally prefer to post pictures if I'm going to bother publishing a post. This does need to be remedied sometime in the next 10 weeks or so, as I'm certain to want snapshots of the baby. Although, I don't love pictures of myself pregnant, so I won't complain too loudly if we don't find the camera till the bitter end.
The pregnancy continues to go well. I have roughly 2 1/2 months or so left, and can complain of all the general aches and pains common to women in their third trimester. However, I'm generally just trying to keep my mouth shut and remember, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all"; and I don't have much nice to say about being pregnant. I've posted a daily and weekly goal list in my kitchen to help me cope, and it is helping. I still spend lots of time staring at the calendar and willing time along, but at least now there is something ON the calendar--other than the oppressively-distant D-Day-- to help distract me. I was able to run until just recently when the sciatica really flared up. Since then, I'm trying to do daily yoga or walks to help keep it under control, and it is helping; but I would give almost anything to take a nice long run in the sunshine. I'm really, really tired, but it can be debated how much of that comes from having an active two-year-old and how much from the pregnancy. I've finally had to admit that I'm just not going to get anywhere near as much accomplished as I had thought I could. In the beginning, I had all these grand plans of all the beautiful things I wanted to sew, and what I wanted to do with the rooms. But then morning sickness hit, and being bent over the machine was a sure-fire puke-initiator. Once I got over that, I've just been too tired, and now my hips hurt too bad to sit on that hard little chair. So I may have to eat crow and BUY curtains, and some other things that that empty room needs. Or wait until after the baby comes. And starts to sleep. And I can find some time. And I'm not too tired from being up all night. And...
well, okay. Going shopping sounds easier all the time.
TJ is going through both some really fun, and some really-NOT fun phases, all at the same time. His climbing prowess grows daily, and I am forever helping him down from precarious perches and scary heights. About six weeks ago, he mastered the art of escaping his room (yes, despite locks) and ran out the front door and up the street in his pajamas. I had put him down for a nap, and he had never before managed to get out of the crib AND get the lock opened. So I assumed he was safe. Seems reasonable, right? So I start working in the other room, and since all is silent I assume he is asleep. Now, anyone with a toddler will agree that there are only 2 times said child is quiet: 1- While fast asleep, and 2-Whilst engaged in terrible mischief. Unfortunately for me, it was the latter. During the course of his "nap", he escaped from his room, ran water over the kitchen floor, for, gauging from the amount of water, and time lapsed, about an hour, flooding the entire kitchen and pantry, and then opened the front door and took off running. All silently.
All this while I'm working in the other room, trying to get it painted and ready for TJ to move into so the baby can have the nursery (and maybe the most amazing part of this entire story, is that in order to get from his room to the kitchen, TJ had to pass the open doorway, where I was painting. HOW did he pass by the chance to climb a ladder, and HOW did I not hear anything? I wasn't listening to music, talking on the phone, or anything. I guess all my concentration was taken up by making sure I didn't fall off the ladder). So as I'm painting, I heard the front door open. It scared me to death, because I was home alone (and still believe TJ is asleep in his crib), so I'm trying to decide if I grab TJ and run for it, or if I cautiously go take a peek and see if I have an intruder in my home (and Yes, I do keep my doors locked, but TJ can open deadbolts, and has been able to for MONTHS and MONTHS now). After a moment of debate--that seemed rather long-- I decided since the dog was not barking, I had better go see who had just come in my door. So I creep out there... and find the front door wide open. The second I saw the open door I knew... I ran outside, my heart in my throat, just in time to see TJ at the top of the hill, turning the corner to the next street. And he is FAST. It still scares me just how long he was in the open road before I made it up the (steep!!! gasp gasp) hill to him. He, of course, thought the whole thing was a grand lark, and screamed in rage that I was dragging him home. I'm just glad we both survived the experience with nothing more than a saturated kitchen and pantry.
So that's us, I guess. TJ has certainly had other "adventures" lately, but that is the one of greatest note. Someday, I really need to take pictures of all different child locks I've tried with him. Rob has been really busy with work, and that's mostly a good thing. I've got a busy Primary calling, and that's mostly a good thing.
As for the blog... Well, we'll see. Lately, I have lots and lots of days where the only thing I'm really up for is keeping TJ alive (and, really, I think that's no small task, and so small accomplishment)!

Artichoke Lasagna

2010-11-12T16:54:00.000-08:00

Despite the fact that I'm predisposed to LOVE anything with artichokes and cheese, this was a mighty tasty dish that Rob really liked as well. This recipe goes in our keeper file. I used chipotle pepper flakes instead of red pepper flakes, and the slightly smokey, hot flavor was divine with the mozzarella and artichoke.

26 oz jar of spaghetti sauce
2 14 oz cans of artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
~14 oz. jarred roasted red bell peppers, drained and coarsely chopped
15 oz container ricotta cheese
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil, or 2 tsp dried, crumbled
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
10 oz package frozen chopped spinach
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp garlic powder
6-8 oven-ready lasagna noodles
1 c. shredded mozzarella for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375.
In a large bowl, stir together the spaghetti sauce, artichokes, and red bell peppers.
In another bowl, stir together the ricotta, Parmesan, basil, spinach, mozzarella, and all the spices.
To assemble, spread a scant layer of the spaghetti sauce mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Make a layer of noodles on top. Spread half the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Top with half the remaining spaghetti sauce mixture. Repeat with remaining noodles, cheese mixture, and sauce mixture.
Lightly cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove tinfoil, bake another 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. When about 5 minutes remain, top with the cup of shredded mozzarella. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Today

2010-11-09T15:00:00.000-08:00

Keys torn off the laptop:
My sunglasses wrapped around a chewed-up pear:
A banana punctured full of holes using... ? I'm a little afraid to find what it was.
My purse, industriously loaded full of chex, cheerios, and craisins.
The chairs, all pushed up against bare and boring walls with no interesting objects nearby that an aspiring and clever climber and gymnast can reach:

Responsible party:

Alternate names for this post:
1. Why I've quit trying to find time to blog
2. Reasons to think twice about having children
3. Toddler mentality
4. Explain that object, please
5. Why I don't really mind that we don't have any furniture, and what we do have is old and crappy
6. An explanation of my decorating scheme, or why there are no chairs at my table or bar
7. STOP THE MADNESS
8. A two-fold explanation of why my house is a mess: TJ lives here, and if I take my eye off him for one moment to try to get something done, I end up with twice the mess I started with

Endless Summer

2010-10-26T12:38:00.000-07:00

Sorry we've gone dark for such a long time; really, it's that we've been way too busy having a great time to post anything. So here, for your viewing pleasure, is our summer. I'll keep the words to a minimum.

Destin, Florida (early June)

TJ loves wearing my shoes:
Grandpa Tom turned his back deck into a personal hot-tub for TJ. What an awesome grandpa!
The Pioneer Day parade in Idaho. The horse-obsession began here.
TJ figured out the game (wave at the people, they throw candy, he picks it up) really quickly. Please note the sucker in either hand.
Hiking in the Teton Valley.
The horse obsession intensified here:

More shoes
AND TJ TURNED TWO!!!! Birthday cake:
Opening presents with Grandpa Tom.
And since TJ is so obsessed with horses, what else would we get him for his birthday besides a rocking horse?
In October, Rob and I went on a romantic get-away to the Buffalo River. We did some beautiful hiking, stayed in a remote B&B, and canoed.

And explored one of the Ozarks' many caves.

Dr. Glade on the KOCO News

2010-06-28T14:11:00.000-07:00

I couldn't find a way to imbed the video into our blog; but if you click HERE, you can view the video on KOCO's website.

The Games We Play

2010-06-10T07:04:00.000-07:00

Climbing: definitely the number one interest right now. I cannot keep my child on the ground. And he LOVES all buttons/switches/power knobs, etc. So the combination of climbing + switch = nirvana.

This is the Victory Dance, performed whenever some particular bit of naughtiness has been successfully completed sans adult intervention. It's a good thing those twinkling eyes are so darn CUTE!

Clothespin Box: Hours of fun to be had here, my friends. He carefully arranges all clothespins along the edge of the box, then dumps them off and does it all over again.

Did I mention that the clothespins only came in a bin of 200?(!) Do you know how long in takes a little boy to line up 200 clothespins along the edge of various boxes and cans? I've never gotten so much done in HIS life!

Straws and Bottle: This is another big hit, and really helped us out on our recent flight(s) to Florida (more on that later); a beverage bottle filled with straws and tongue depressor sticks. He dumps them all out, carefully threads them all back in, one-at-a-time, then screws the lid on (this kid and screw-on/off lids... I could go on and on. He loves them. No bottle is too tricky for his clever, strong little fingers. I have Poison Control on speed dial. Soon, they'll know us both by our first names there. This is not a good thing).

Note the bubble wrap. This is another fabulous game that gives those same clever, strong little fingers some harmless goals. I'm loving it. While the dog may hate the constant cracking of the bubbles (he runs in terror every time), I LOVE that--not only does it keep him totally occupied--but it's a great audio indication of where he is at all times.
And here are a few of the things I've been getting done while my little one is so industriously engaged:
A diaper bag/changing pad set for a friend:

I LOVE the print of the waterproof laminate I found. Anna Marie Horner rules.
Lots of big pockets...
And a quilt for my mom. The pattern is a variation of a traditional Drunkard's Path.
PS: Sandy, you better come pick out your fabric....

Legos

2010-05-28T06:32:00.000-07:00

TJ and I like to go to various community play groups. One of my favorites is at a Lutheran church, and they have the best-stocked nursery I've ever seen. I've noticed that everytime we go lately, TJ spends the entire time enthralled by the big Legos. So yesterday we finally went to Target and bought him some Legos of his own.

He played with them all afternoon. I couldn't get him to eat dinner because he wanted to keep playing with his Legos. So we comprimised and I fed him dinner while he held a Lego in each hand. He played with them after dinner.

When it was time for bed, he cried when I took him away from the Legos. And he's played with them all morning. I think this is love.

Family Pictures

2010-05-16T14:37:00.000-07:00

I have learned-mostly the hard way- the value of good pictures; and that a photographer whose vision coincides with your own is a rare and wonderful find. I've been wanting to do family pictures for a long time, and finally made the call just before Christmas. It took, honestly, MONTHS and MONTHS* for the weather and schedules of all parties concerned to finally line up (with the weather being the most truculent and disagreeable one involved). We had many a shoot canceled at the last moment due to rain or snow-- always AFTER I had spent all weekend making sure both of my men had fresh haircuts, clean clothes, and buffed shoes. But here, finally, are the gems of our photographers labours, and TJ's frequent haircuts. There are alot of pictures. It's to make up for my lack of posting. If you live in OKC, our photographer is Randy Coleman. Call me for his number, and because I have referral coupons for you!
*When we scheduled the pictures, I bought TJ a new pair of bootcut baby jeans, so he could match his parents. However, by the time the pictures were finally shot, he had nearly grown out of the jeans, and you'll notice they are rather high-water.

Spring Cleaning, and a few April projects

2010-04-22T19:05:00.000-07:00

I recently read and article in Real Simple magazine about spring cleaning. One of the tasks it told me I needed to do was to clean my light fixtures: dust the fan blades, empty the flies out of the fixtures, and wash them. It said it was especially important if there were allergy sufferers in the home. Well, there are 3 of them in mine. *sigh* So I spent a morning cleaning the light fixtures. This required the services of a ladder. I climbed down the ladder to rinse my rag out, came back and:
Lest you fail to fully appreciate this picture, I feel it important to inform all readers that he had climbed over five feet high. I could not reach him to take him down without climbing up two rungs myself. Hidden hazards of high ceilings, I guess.
Can ALL 18-month-olds climb ladders in the 60 seconds it takes their mothers to rinse a rag? Or is mine just a shining star when it comes to dangerous physical feats which demonstrate a lack of sense?

And since I never did post pictures of the completed turtle quilt for TJ, here it is:

Easter dresses for my sister's girls:

And a reversible sun hat for TJ (we are headed to the beach in May):

This was fun to make because it was so fast and so easy. I spent less than an hour on it, total. Too many of the projects I've done lately have taken days, if not weeks, so this was a nice, rewarding thing to make. And helps keep us all pumped up for beach fun!!! Let the countdown begin!

I also have a whole slew of skirts in various stages of completion, and a couple of quilts. The skirts I'm excited to finish. Warmer weather always makes me want to wear lots of them. Maybe I'll get around to posting them, and maybe you'll just have to see me wearing one. When you ask me where I got a skirt in such fabulous fabric, I'll just smile slyly. The quilts: I admit it was a trifle aggressive to start more than one at a time (they take FOREVER sometimes). I just never can resist the siren call of beautiful fabric. I'm sure more than one woman out there can relate.

My Best Helper...

2010-04-15T14:57:00.000-07:00

... is this guy:

I spent the afternoon in the yard pulling weeds out of the flower beds. Not wanting to miss out on the fun, TJ came along behind me and pulled the flowers. *sigh*
It's a good thing he's cute.

Conversation Overheard

2010-03-25T17:50:00.001-07:00

While waiting in line at the fabric store, I couldn't help listening to the two older ladies behind me, both of whom had loads of fabric crammed into their carts:

Lady 1: "My husband is going to have a thing or two to say about this."
Lady 2: "I don't miss mine at all. There are real advantages to not having a husband."
Lady 1: "Oh, stop gloating."

I don't get it either

2010-03-07T19:14:00.001-08:00

He really does sleep like this.

Can it really be comfortable?

-- Post From My iPhone

Location:Home

New Throw Pillows

2010-02-28T19:41:00.000-08:00

New throw pillows have kind of reinvented my poor old couch. I just fell in love with this fabric collection (I have an obsession with Japanese fabrics), and have been looking around for ways to use it on something... anything... Pillows? Perfect.
And while even new pillows can only go so far to help this sad, sad, tired love seat, they totally help, yes?
Now the only problem is that I LOVE every print in every color in this collection. What else can I make?

TJ's Room

2010-02-25T14:30:00.000-08:00

TJ has always had the most boring room. When he was born, I never did decorate the nursery; we were living in an apartment in Little Rock, and I knew our days were so numbered, I just didn't see the point. In our current house, I haven't done much better. Very functional, but very plain:

Tuesday morning, I just couldn't take the nice, boring, creamy almond color of his walls anymore. I spent all day yesterday painting his room key-lime-meets-avocado-cream. And I have really cute fabric to make him darling bedding, and a much zippier crib skirt than he currently has. But what to do next? Look at all this wall space I have to fill (and my pictures don't even show the half of it!):

What cute (inexpensive) nursery decor ideas have you seen or done yourself? Any brilliant ideas? I've got a couple, but.... *sigh* Interior decorating always makes me feel inadequate. I'm much more comfortable in the sewing room.

Grandma Sandy and Grandpa Tom drove down for a late celebration of Rob's birthday. TJ loved having an extra set of book-readers on hand. Grandma Sandy is a sucker for TJ smiles, and will read on demand.

I walked into his room one day to find this:
He had climbed up into the rocking chair all by himself and was reading a book. Too cute.

And here is another climbing trick that is not so cute:
I can't keep him on the ground. For a long while it worked to leave all the chairs tipped over. But now he's learned how to push them back upright. There is no space too high for this child.

And here is a sneak peek at the pinwheels and turtle quilt I've been working on this week:

Crafty February

2010-02-20T07:45:00.000-08:00

My friends have kept busy, so I've been making lots of baby stuff for them. I love making itty-bitty things. It's so fun. I was really thrilled with how this blanket turned out. The last time I worked with minky was a disaster, and I learned my lesson the hard way. This time I used fabric glue and loads and loads of pins to keep the minky from slipping all over while I sewed. I particularly loved the mitered corners (thank you Burda tutorials) and the Henry Alexander bias strip. Plus, it's yummy soft.

Here is a baby girl set I knit. I wanted a jacket that would transition into Spring, and this Hadley Fierlinger pattern was perfect.

Another baby girl jacket. This is a Debbie Bliss pattern, but I modified it by adding the cabling along the ribbing band. This was SO easy to knit. Pattern can be found here. It's also included in this book, which is fantastic.

This is the funnest little bubble/pencil skirt from the January Burda pattern magazine. I don't feel like the pictures really do it justice; the dark navy wool doesn't photograph all that well.

Rachel Ray's Kale and White Bean Soup

2010-02-10T15:46:00.000-08:00

The cold and snow continue, and doesn't a bowl of hot soup just cure those winter chills? This recipe is Yummy! Be sure to buy good, thick bacon from the butcher block, and don't skimp on it.

Deep Winter Minestra - Beans and Greens Soup

Easy and inexpensive to prepare and serve this hearty, healthy soup any night of the week!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1/3 pound thick-cut speck (smoked pancetta) or butcher thick-cut bacon, diced 1/8-inch
3/4 pound crimini or mixed wild mushrooms (or a mix of wood ear and crimini mushrooms), thinly sliced (I used baby portabella's because that's all the store had)
1 medium onion, halved across and thinly sliced
4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
2 small bundles or 1 large bundle (about a pound) lacinato or Tuscan black kale, stemmed and very thinly sliced (again, I just used normal old kale, because that's what they had)
Salt and pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg (about 1/4 teaspoon)
1 can cannellini beans
1 quart chicken, beef or mushroom stock
2 cups water
1 cup dried pasta, such as penne rigate, mezze rigatoni or whole wheat short-cut pasta (I hate soggy pasta, so I used instant pearled barley-- it retains it's texture in left-overs)
1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar or balsamic drizzle
Pecorino cheese, for grating
Crusty bread, for mopping

Preparation

Heat a soup pot over medium to medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, a couple of turns of the pan. Add the speck or bacon and crisp, 2-3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and brown, 6-7 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook 5-6 minutes more to soften.

Wilt the greens into the pot and season with a little salt, lots of pepper and some nutmeg. Add the beans, stock and water to the pot and bring up to a boil. Add the pasta, reduce the heat to a low, rolling boil and cook until the pasta is al dente. Drizzle a little balsamic vinegar onto the soup (go carefully). Check the seasoning, then serve in shallow bowls with some grated Pecorino on top and crusty bread alongside, for mopping.

Terminator

2010-02-02T08:13:00.000-08:00

It's still early here, and yet it's already one of those days. TJ has thus far: stuck a whole sheet of postage stamps on the cabinet door, dumped a bag of brown sugar all over the floor, torn up a pattern I foolishly left on the table, pulled the lid off his sippy cup and dumped milk all over the floor, OPENED the dishwasher (this is a new one) and shattered the bowl found therein, got the garbage can open and tipped it over (yes, the same garbage can where I had just put all the broken glass, which I then cleaned up a second time), then proceeded to eat the garbage (really, this is almost a daily occurrence), broke yet another DVD, and one of my knitting needles. Where was I during all this? Cleaning up the previous mess. All I've done is run from one disaster to another, change wet/sticky clothes, and dunk TJ in the bath. I'm thinking about licensing him to the military as a weapon of mass destruction. The only problem is that he's so effective, I'd never get him back. And I don't really want my baby being sent off to Afghanistan.

So here is a funny video of one of the cute, non-destructive things he's doing lately. This video is more for me than anyone else; I need a reminder of why I keep him.

And Now Snow!

2010-01-29T15:54:00.000-08:00

Conclusion: This day looks more like Idaho than Oklahoma!

Ice Storm

2010-01-29T07:21:00.000-08:00

If you've never seen an ice storm before, they really are awesome. We have about 1.5-2 centimeters of ice creating a dangerous and beautiful crystaline cocoon over everything: roads, trees, houses, cars, trees, etc... It is lovely, but scary, too. As the ice builds, the weight of it builds, too. The trees start to literally shatter under the weight, bringing down power lines, falling through rooftops, blocking the already icy roads, and all sorts of mayhem. Beautiful, but I think we'll stay home today. Given our lack of a 4WD vehicle, it's not really a choice.

Read Me A Story

2010-01-24T19:28:00.000-08:00

TJ loves books. Lately, he wants me to read to him ALL THE TIME. I swear that we read his favorite book at least 15 times every day. The other morning as Rob was getting ready for work, TJ really wanted to read a book together. They sat down for a quick story, but right as they were about to start, TJ would look across the room, see one of his stuffed animals, and ask for it. This went on until there was quite a crew, all sitting in Rob's lap waiting for a story. Aren't my two boys cute?

Awesome Apple Cake

2010-01-22T14:30:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite new recipe. It's from Marcus Samuelsson; if you've never heard of him, it's time you did. He's fabulous, and his cookbooks are tasty and lovely. I love his attitude towards American food; we are a land of more than just cheeseburgers and greasy pizza; we are the country that embraces all food ethnicity's and is willing to try it all. His recipes blend cultures the way the I-95 mix-master blends traffic. So, try this one out this weekend.

12 Servings (ha ha ha)

2 Tbsp plain bread crumbs
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
2 granny smith apples
1 tsp cinnamon
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) butter
1 egg
1 1/4 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
2/3 c half-and-half (I usually have whole milk in the fridge, and just use it)
2 tsp powdered sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour a 9" springform pan (I use a bundt pan, and so usually omit the bread crumbs), and coat with the bread crumbs.
Toss together the white and brown sugar, and set aside.
Core the apples (leaving peels on), then slice one into 16 wedges. Toss the apple wedges with 1/3 c of the mixed sugars and 1 tsp cinnamon.
Roughly dice the other apple.
Mix butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 mins. Add the egg, mixing until combined. Reduce speed and add the flour and baking powder. Slowly add the half-and-half. Fold the diced apple into the batter (I usually add 1 tsp almond extract and 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp cloves to the batter as well). Pour batter into prepared pan. Arrange the coated apple wedges in a fan on top of the batter. Bake for 35-40 minutes until center is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Release from pan, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and delve in.

Visitors, 2Day Dress, and TJ's Hat

2010-01-20T07:16:00.000-08:00

We are still keeping busy. After all of our Christmas company left, my brothers, Matt and Nathan, came for a visit. One of these days, I'm going to need to do some catch-up of all this. I read so many good year-end or year-beginning summaries/goal lists, and really did mean to do my own. Hmmm.
But to assuage any guilt I may feel, here's a cute picture of my little boy:
I am a dork, and did not get a picture of Nathan and TJ, but here is one of Matt and TJ:
I've been wanting a knit dress that I can throw on in a hurry; with the turning of the year, we now have the 8:30AM church block (this is mostly an awesome good thing, as we are home in time for TJ's nap). So here is Butterick 4914:

I loved how easy this dress was to make. The original pattern has a really low neckline, but it was easy to make it about 2inches higher by cutting the surplice panels higher on the inner edge, and then shirring the shoulder seam to hide the excess fabric. I hate having to wear camis underneath things (really, ANOTHER layer?!), so the decision to raise the neckline was a no-brainer. But that's the only alteration I needed. The fabric is from Hancock's clearance table at 2.99/yd, and I don't love the print, but since it was my first time sewing with a matte jersey, I didn't want to commit much $$. I also loved how FAST this dress was. During one of TJ's naps, I got everything done except hemming the skirt and setting in the sleeves. So really, it's almost a one-day-dress (and if your kid naps longer than mine, it for sure is). Added bonus: it's machine washable, so TJ can smear cheese all over me to his hearts content.

TJ's hat, off the needles and blocked:

I'm really happy with how this hat turned out. I learned a ton (2 different cabling styles, a bunch of new decreases, Russian joins, etc), and am pleased as punch that I was able to figure it all out. It's definitely the most complex piece I've made yet.

Knitting

2010-01-10T14:28:00.000-08:00

I could go on and on about knitting. Growing up, I had an aunt who would knit. I always thought it was the coolest thing, and wished that I knew how, too. For some reason, though, I never asked her to show me how; I was under the impression that it was much too hard. Hmm.

While living in Little Rock, I was friends with a lady who was a knitter. One day I asked her to teach me, and she spent an evening showing me the two basic stitches most commonly used, the knit and the purl. She also told me about a great website, www.knittinghelp.com
Here you can learn almost anything you need to know about knitting. One of the things I've most wanted to learn to do is Aran cabling. I started this hat for TJ about a week ago. I used this ugly color of yarn, because, honestly, I didn't think I'd be able to make this hat work out on the first try, and I didn't want to "waste" or damage one of my good yarns. Now I'm almost done with it, and thrilled about everything except the color. Rats. Guess I'll just have to make another one...

Remember the beautiful mittens that Bella wore in Twilight? Really, you didn't even notice them? They were the best part of the movie! Well, I really wanted a pair. A quick download of the pattern, and a week later: Ta Dah!

And here is the sweater I made for my friend's little boy. I liked how it turned out so well, now TJ has to have one. I have one in progress on the needles.

See, isn't knitting just the coolest? I told you I could go on and on... My poor husband.

For Grandparents

2009-12-18T08:49:00.000-08:00

The blog has been quiet lately; we have been very busy: mostly doing projects. Secret projects. For secret recipients of secret gifts. So no picture show-and-tell. But in the past three weeks, we (me and my little helper Elf, TJ) have transformed over 22 yards of fabric into serviceable items. We have also knit up 220+ yards of yarn into mostly serviceable items (I'm a better seamstress than I am a knitter. Alas). So, along with the myriad holiday activities, church obligations, and daily grind duties, we have been busy little bees, and TJ's every non-waking hour--which is when I prefer to blog--has been precious precious time. But here is a little taste of our non-secret crafting moments (these are all pictures of TJ, so if you are not family, you may find this post to be boring):

'Tis the season for baking. And TJ likes to help.

He's really into peanut butter sandwiches right now. He's also really into shoving the entire sandwich into his mouth all at once.

We decorate and re-decorate the tree about 3 times every day. Too much fun.

China 4- Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace

2009-11-21T14:38:00.000-08:00

We all laughed at the "Star-Rated Toilet". Perhaps it gets four stars for having Western-style amenities (as opposed to traditional, which we called "squatters")?
These panda hats were being hawked on the streets to susceptible tourists. We thought they were pretty funny. It certainly made staying with our group easier. We thought TJ would LOVE them; he cried when we put them on. Maybe next year.

Tiananmen Square, with Chairman Mao watching over all.
The famous marble boat at the Summer Palace
I love these lions. They guard the doors of Chinese homes, and keep evil from entering. The female is on the right left-facing side, the male on the right-facing side. Traditional Chinese homes also have a raised threshold. This is because they believe ghosts cannot step up; hence a raised threshold keeps any ghosts out.

It was really a great trip. But we sure were ready to see TJ! I missed him like gangbusters.

China 3-New Day Foster Home, and Shepherd's Field Foster Home

2009-11-21T13:58:00.000-08:00

We spent some time visiting a couple of the foster homes where some of the children who were operated on live. The foster homes are orphanages, but a vast improvement over the state-run orphanages. They are homes for special-needs orphans, run by American organizations, and work closely with the various mission groups to provide the medical care the children need. We came armed with bubbles and other toys, and spent several hours playing with the kids. It was heartbreaking, and at the same time inspiring to meet the people who have dedicated their lives to helping the kids. They are truly angels.

Learn more at www.newdaycharities.org and www.ChinaOrphans.org
These are both excellent organizations. If you have someone on your Christmas list who already has everything, and whom you just don't know what to get, consider a donation in their name. Your money will mean so much more than another set of decorative bookends or a sweater they'll never wear.

China 2-Old Residential Beijing, Hutong

2009-11-20T18:17:00.000-08:00

Since the Olympics came to Beijing, a smattering of English appears on street signs, store fronts, etc. But by and large we were wholly dependent on our guide to lead us. It's not at all like the other countries we've visited where we could look up an address in a book, read a map, read the bus schedule, and get where we wanted. Here we couldn't even read the address, the map, or anything else!
One of my favorite things we did was visit the old residential section of Beijing, the Hutong Villages. Located inside the First Ring Row of Beijing, it's a highly desirable area to live because of it's proximity to the city center. Walking the small narrow alley-ways (mostly navigated by the residents on bicycles) was a small glimpse of real life in China. We saw lots and lots of fish hanging out to dry. Yummy, huh?

Pretty, too.

Homes are built in clusters. They share a common gateway, or doorway from the "main" alley, which you pass through to enter a courtyard of sorts. As plumbing was invented well after the construction of the houses, they do not have bathrooms. Each cluster of houses now share a community bathroom, located in the central courtyard, so roughly 5 families per bathroom. This is probably one of the few times to be grateful for the One Child Act.

We ate a traditional Chinese meal (have I mentioned how FABULOUS the food is in China? Especially a home-cooked one?) with a family in the Hutong. This is our hostess, whose name I will not attempt to put into English letters, as I will surely get it terribly wrong. Notice that she is wearing her winter coat and scarf inside her home. There was no discernible difference between the indoor and outdoor temperature in all of the Hutong. This is because the government has mandated that the heat will not be turned on until November 15th, and it was November 12th. The ability to heat your own home: just one of the small freedoms of Democracy that isn't even recognized as such. Whether you love or hate our government and leaders, how much we take for granted.

The inner courtyard:

The Bell Tower. In ancient times, before clocks were common, the people relied of the keeper of the Bell Tower to tell time. The tower contained elaborate apparatus that told time precisely. The Tower keeper would bang of drum or bell depending upon the time of day. His was an incredibly important job, as it dictated the beginning and end of commerce, and the opening and closing of the city gates.

China is a country that leaves a deep impression. The reality of Communism and all of it's restraints is so foreign to my Western mind. The government controls everything, big and small. The control over information is astounding. The media is not free. The internet is highly restricted. Try to access common websites while in China, and it's like they don't even exist (Blogger and Facebook among them). The history of China as read in Western texts--particularly recent history--is very different from what Chinese children learn in school. If they are lucky enough to attend school. Public education is not free. I guess ours isn't either (taxes), but they actually pay tuition on top of their exorbitant taxes. So, like I said: Love our government or hate it, you have the right to complain about it, criticize it, heat your home, vote, buy a car, lead a rally, decide how many children you'd like, etc etc. There's just something about freedom.

China 1- The Great Wall, Olymipic Village

2009-11-20T17:18:00.000-08:00

It snowed the day I arrived in China. Rob had already been there for a week operating; the team--Dr. Buckmiller and my Dr. Glade--repaired 20 cleft lips/palates 1 facial tumor. They all stayed to tour China and I met up with them. What great and amazing people they all are.

The Great Wall was beautiful, cold, and awesome in its scope.
Located in northern China, the Great Wall was built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century. The majority of the existing wall was built during the Ming Dynasty (15th Century).

From Wikipedia: "The Great Wall stretches along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia. The most comprehensive archaeological survey, using advanced technologies, has recently concluded that the entire Great Wall, with all of its branches, stretches for 8,851.8 km (5,500.3 mi). This is made up of 6,259.6 km (3,889.5 mi) of sections of actual wall, 359.7 km (223.5 mi) of trenches and 2,232.5 km (1,387.2 mi) of natural defensive barriers such as hills and rivers." Wow.

We were able to hike a long section of the Wall. It's easy to see why it's a Wonder of the World.
Olympic Village in Beijing:
The tower where the torch burned:
The Watercube, where Michael Phelps won his eight Olympic golds:
The Bird's Nest (my personal favorite):
And the track where Deena Kastor ran (inside the Bird's Nest):

Morrocan Chicken&Wild Rice Soup

2009-11-17T17:57:00.000-08:00

So this post is not about China. But this is a good recipe.

Cinnamon and curry add a distinct and delicious zing to this savory winter soup.
Prep/Hands-on time: 15-20 mins. Cooking time: 60- 70 mins.

3 onions, cut into large pieces
3 Tbsp butter
3Tbsp flour
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp curry powder (Madras curry is best, but use whatever you have)
1/2 tsp celery seed
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt, or to taste
5 tsp chicken bullion, or to taste (or sub chicken broth for the water)
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups mixed wild brown rices
1 parsnip, cut into fine pieces
7 cups water (I had to add quite alot extra to keep from burning-- keep an eye on it)
1 large sweet potato, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 lb chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup chopped celery, including the leaves at the top of the stalk

In a large soup pot, saute the onions and butter over medium heat about 5 minutes. Add the flour and spices, saute for about 2 minutes until the flour is just beginning to brown and the spices are aromatic. Add the canned tomatoes, water, bullion, rices and parsnip. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionaly. Add the sweet potato, chicken and celery. Continue simmering until rice is soft and chicken is cooked through. Serve with a crusty bread.

Home from China

2009-11-17T14:38:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of excitement on the blog lately. We are home from China, and I'll post as soon as the travel-haze clears from my brain a bit.

And we had a great time.

Skeletor and a Serving Wench

2009-11-01T05:28:00.000-08:00

Dr. Glade in the News

2009-10-29T07:36:00.000-07:00

Oklahoma City doctor hopes to offer new smiles | NewsOK.com

Fun With GMa Barb

2009-10-10T19:55:00.001-07:00

My mom has been in Oklahoma with us this week. Here's just a few pictures of all the wild carousing and partying we've been doing with TJ and the old lady.

Hi Dad!

2009-10-05T11:10:00.001-07:00

One more post for today, because the other one had no pictures:

1.800.222.1222

2009-10-05T10:56:00.000-07:00

This is the number of the Poison Control Center. Every parent should have this number. If you don't already have it on your fridge or cabinet or programmed into your phone, take a moment to do so now. TJ gave me a scare today when I found him chewing on the child-proof lid of a pill bottle, the empty bottle clutched in his little fist. Remember the joke about how if you can't get a child-proof lid to open, just ask a little kid to do it for you? Apparently true. A quick perusal of the area left 3 pills unaccounted for. The nice people at the Poison Control Center assured me that he would have a bad tummy ache, but would be otherwise fine (I later found two of the missing three pills; I hope the dog ate the missing one, as I'd rather him have a tummy ache than TJ).

Pumpkin Dip

2009-10-03T08:31:00.000-07:00

Be the favorite guest at a fall event with this yummy dip:

5 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. dark brown sugar
1/2 c. canned pumpkin
1 Tbsp. maple syrup (the recipe calls for 2Tbsp, but I think that would have been too sweet)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
1/2 c. plain greek yogurt (or regular yogurt that has been strained to thicken it)

Cream all ingredients together until well-blended. Core and wedge about 6 apples, arrange on a platter, and off you go. You'll be sure to be invited back.

Notes from HQ

2009-10-02T07:58:00.000-07:00

So ladies, take note: Ann Taylor has a couple of little black dresses an extra 40% off an already good sale price. That means you can score a sweet, classic, MODEST, awesome little black dress for for $59.99 (as opposes to the starting price of $165-170). Just don't show up at the same party as me in your new frock. Oh, and this one is really pretty, too.

I've had lots and lots of people ask me about the Wheely Cow and Bug. The Wheely Bugs are made by Prince Lionheart. They are sold in specialty toy stores, and on-line. Google Prince Lionheart Wheely Bug and tons of results and stores will come up. I've had plenty of friends who have felt that the small size is too small, but we've liked ours tons. I've seen them go on sale for as little as $30, but only when the store is going out of business.

Cheers, and happy shopping.

Happy Birthday TJ!!!

2009-09-26T08:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was TJ's 1st birthday.
I can't hardly believe he's one, and I can't hardly believe how different everything is now than it was a year ago. The past year has been a crazy one, but it's also been one of the happiest ones ever. TJ is such a pleasure. I'm so happy he's mine!

But... at what point do I need to stop referring to him as "the baby"?

Grandma and Grandpa Glade and Great-Grandpa Compton drove down from Wichita to spend TJ's special day with him. Here he is unwrapping his first gift with dad's help. What could it be?

Grandma and Grandpa's gift was so fun to climb and play on top of, it was almost a shame to open it and wreck the fun.

I made TJ a carrot cake for his birthday. I think he liked it:

The Wheely Cow

2009-09-24T07:26:00.000-07:00

In case you do not know, this is a wheely cow:
Best toy ever. TJ loves his wheely cow. It's made to ride on, but TJ pushes it all through the house backward. It is his favorite toy--mine too, for that matter. We are always finding it in funny and strange places, usually surrounded by chaos and great messes. In our house, the cow is a harbinger of destruction.

Psst:TJ's birthday is tomorrow. Don't tell him, but he's getting a wheely bee that's the size larger.

The author of all these messes:
And yes, he can open all drawers, cabinets, hutches, etc. Disaster. My bathroom cabinets are his favorite.

And here is a video to demonstrate why I have been too busy to blog lately:

It's amazing how fast he learned to walk. One day Rob put him down, and he just started to walk. He took about 8 steps and fell down. From that point on, it's taken less than a week to be able to walk across a room without falling.

And one more about the cow:

Upwards

2009-08-24T13:05:00.000-07:00

Climbing is TJ's newest obsession. He climbs up the stairs. I go get him. He climbs up the stairs again. I go get him. He climbs
Well, you get the picture.
Last week he actually did learn how to climb DOWN the stairs; the problem is that he can't remember to turn around and go down backwards without me helping him, so he still sits at the top and SCREAMS for help... So even though he can climb down them, I still have to run up the stairs over and over and over again all day long. *sigh* At least I'm burning extra calories...

Then, he started climbing on top of his toy box. It's not too high, so I figured it would only kind of hurt when he fell off. The couch was next in his climbing pursuits.

Then I found this:

I wasn't real pleased, but he was so proud of himself, and screamed so loud when I took him down, I decided to let it be. When I turned around about 2 minutes later, this is what I saw:

When he started stepping onto the shelves, I put down the camera and ended this game. Oh, the tears!

With all these shinanigans, it's a good thing we've finished the master bathroom. I can sure use a long calming bath some evenings.

Walking Chair

2009-08-20T11:18:00.000-07:00

Our new house has lots and lots of tile. It's actually great for Chasqui and TJ, and it's super easy for me to clean. Plus, it enables TJ to play this cool new game:

I keep finding chairs in the funniest places; in the bathrooms, in the pantry, in the entryway, in the laundry... TJ is busy rearranging the furniture!

Timpanogos

2009-08-18T14:00:00.000-07:00

Growing up, my cousin Cheryl and I always argued about which of our respective states were "better", Utah or Idaho? Criteria included such things as fewest mosquitoes (Idaho looses that one), best school vacations, best swimming pools, and best hiking. I was convinced that there was no greater hiking than that to be had in the Tetons, and Cheryl was convinced that Mount Timpanogos was King. Having never hiked the other's favorite hike, we were really at an impasse.
This summer while we were in Utah, I was finally able to hike Mt. Timpanogos. The all-day babysitter made it almost the most expensive hike I've ever done in my life (second only to the Inca Trail in Peru), but it was worth every penny. To those of you who have yet to do the hike: do it. It's awesome.

Awe-inspiring views led to lots and lots of pointing
Wow, what a long way to go yet....
The wild flowers were just spectacular!

And I LOVED the mountain goats. They must see lots and lots of hikers to be so chill.

See that tiny little white speck at the back of the second ridge? That's the strange little hut that marks the summit.
What a view!

Looking down at Emerald Lake
Triumph!!!
We summitted rather late in the day due to a string of circumstances including a WAY late start, and starting out on the wrong trail head, among other things. So we were anxious to get down as quickly as we could. On our way up we had talked to some people who had slid down the Northern glaciers and bypassed the climb down. We started the trek along the ridge to the glacier. It looked so steep and scary; the pit in my stomach grew with each step. We were going DOWN that? Without skis?
Okay. The promise of dropping a good 1000+ vertical feet in less than a few minutes was too good to pass up. But I was so nervous, I'm not sure how I managed to smile for the camera.

What a wild, wild ride. I have to recommend it as the preferred method of descent. And once the initial moment of terror wore off, it was fun. The tiny little black speck is a fellow-hiker sliding down.
I was so steep, we just sat down on our behinds and gravity did the rest. It was SO COLD, fast, and plain old fun.
The exhilaration from the slide kept me going most of the rest of the way down.

And Cheryl: I'm still not sure which state wins. Timpanogos or the Tetons? What a debate...

We're Back!

2009-08-09T12:17:00.000-07:00

...and all of our contact information has changed! I don't want to post our new phone numbers and home address here on the blog; if you would like them, send an email to melanieglade@gmail.com

Sorry for the blogging hiatus. I warned it would happen. But things should start settling down a little bit now. We are home from our travels and as moved into our new home in Oklahoma as we can be. We're currently in the long slow phase of settling in, finding where things belong, and learning how to live in a new city. The new house is fantastic. We do not miss our rat-hole apartment one iota. And although we've had a ton of work to do, it's really nice to be working on our own home, instead of a crappy apartment. I've been to Lowes at least 5 times in the past 9 days. Purchases include a power drill and all appropriate drill bits and drivers for the current list of projects, a speed bore, painting needs, various small bits of hardware and lighting, and tools to fix the broken sprinkler heads (we've been successful, too; isn't it amazing what you can learn on the internet? Thank you iPhone).

I do have a back-log of good pictures from our travels: we spent time in Kansas, Idaho and Utah before moving in the last few days of July. To keep this post from being too crazy-long, I'm only going to do the Idaho pictures today.

We did some great hiking while we were out West. Nothing beats the Rockies (okay, so the Andes came close, but...). Thanks for the babysitting, mom!
Devil's Staircase, July 16th, 2009. We really couldn't have asked for a more perfect day. The breeze was light and cooling, the sky was so blue, the temperatures were moderate, the flowers were all in bloom... Perfection.
This critter (rock chuck?) was way friendly. We also saw a mama moose and baby. I gave her wide berth.

TJ's appetite is growing faster than him. I cannot figure out what he does with all the food he eats. For example, for dinner last night, he ate 1 whole fresh peach, 1/2 steamed yam, 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, 1 egg, 1 small glass of milk, and 5 strawberries. Then he still cried when he saw me eating! Bottomless pit. Here he is eating all of my barbequed beef, and the fresh raspberries from dad's garden.
TJ and my dad, his Grandpa Summers.
So lately mealtimes have been getting super messy. TJ grabs fistfulls of food, makes this terrible face, and strains as hard as he can as he mashes it all to a pulp in his little fists. Not real sure why this is so fun, but TJ sure loves it.
Mom, Natalie and I at a fireside given by my younger brother, who has just returned from a mission to Brazil.
TJ's favorite toys at his Grandma Summers' house were a rubber snake and a toy car. Go figure.
Boys will be boys, I guess.
He stayed real busy charming grandma.

Matt (front right, black shirt) just graduated from college with his degree is engineering. Here we are celebrating at the Hard Hat Cafe.
Congratulations, Matt!

Pictures of Utah, and the new house coming next.

Kansas, Sedgwick Zoo & Some Catch-Up

2009-07-12T08:28:00.001-07:00

We've spent the past week in Kansas visiting with Rob's parents. TJ has had a total blast demonstrating all of the ways in which Grandma's house is NOT baby-proof.

Rob and TJ have spent some really good time together, too. This is one of my favorite faces TJ is making lately (sorry, honey; I caught you mid-blink).
This is my younger sister, Natalie, baby-sitter extraordinaire who made getting my tonsils out a much less stressful experience by taking such good care of TJ. Thanks for a great job, Natalie!!!

We took TJ to the zoo on Tuesday. As we drove there, we wondered if he would just be miserable, or if he would like the animals. He LOVES the dog, so we figured there was a good chance he'd like it. Boy, did he ever.

Did this giraffe pose for us, or what? I love this picture.

This tiger cooperated nicely by sitting right in front of TJ and letting us all admire his beautiful coloring. I hope he wasn't dreaming of Baby Thigh a la mode... TJ wouldn't make much of a lunch.
The elephants were also a huge hit (elephants are one of my favorites). As we watched the elephants, I told TJ about how he has visited the elephants before. He was much smaller then.

This is the Keeper of the Plains monument in downtown Wichita, located at the convergence of the Big and Little Arkansas Rivers. Although much smaller than the Arkansas River as we are accustomed to it in Little Rock, it's still beautiful. We enjoyed our jaunt to the monument, and I learned some good history about the Plains tribes that once lived here. I always enjoy an area so much more when I know something of it's past.

The Fat Lady is Singing

2009-07-05T07:49:00.000-07:00

Last week we pulled out of Little Rock. Thus closes more than a chapter of life; thus closes a saga, an epic journey, never to be fully appreciated by anyone who has not either done it themselves or been very close to someone who has done it.

Rob grew up always knowing that he wanted to be a doctor. Once he was grown, the work began in earnest.

4 years of undergraduate at BYU.

4 years of medical school at Texas A&M.

1 year of research.

1year of internship in Salt Lake City.

4 years of residency in Washington DC.

2 years of fellowhip in Little Rock.

These are the bones only, a framework upon which a specialty surgeon was created.

Some of the stories are awful and make my heart hurt: 120+ hour work-weeks. Pain. Blood. Exhaustion. Lost holidays. Lost years. Some of the stories make me laugh until I cry: Dr. Love. Scrub pants that won't stay up during long surgeries. Bizarre personalities of other surgeons.

Honey, you are amazing. I'm so grateful I get to be part of your life. I'm so glad TJ has such a great dad.

I'm thrilled I got to be your date to your fifth and final (it is the final one, right?) graduation. You do such amazing work (this is the "after" picture. I don't think I should put the "before" picture on. I'm sure I'd be violating some sort of privacy act, since it is a recognizable picture of a child's face. This one is a little more anonymous. Check out those perfect stitches. My husband could give Amy Butler a run for her money any day). Those Oklahoma kids sure are lucky they're going to have you.

I did indeed hook up with the right guy. We love you tons!
Mel and TJ

PS- Thanks for the house. I can't wait to move in!
(We close on July 28th!!!!!!)

My Tonsils and I Have Parted Ways (along with a portion of my bank account)

2009-06-16T17:36:00.000-07:00

My tonsils, the source of much grief, illness, misery and infection are gone from me forever. I had tonsil surgery yesterday, and have been lying around the house in a drug-induced haze whilst my younger sister takes care of TJ and supplies me with popsicles.

This morning I recieved a rather strange phone call from my bank. They were inquiring about some unusual activity on my debit card. Apparently, someone went of a shopping spree at JCrew.com in the middle of the night. Well, JCrew is one of my favorite stores ever, and I DID remember that I was up in the middle of the night, hurting and unable to sleep. But I had no recollection of buying anything.

I told the bank "thanks", I would look into it and let them know if there was anything amiss. So I logged onto my JCrew account, and sure enough, there was a good $350+ order I placed in the middle of the night. I still don't remember doing it. But I figure if that's the worst thing I do while on narcotics, that's not too bad. At least I bought good stuff. And I even got all the right sizes. Just the same, I think I'll give my credit cards to Rob until I'm off the oxycodone.

Mail Call

2009-06-16T01:37:00.000-07:00

Dear Secret Admirer,
I'm so sorry we missed you! We were out of town last week buying a house in our soon-to-be home-town, Edmond, Oklahoma. I returned home to find a small pile of very finely shredded... well, I'm not really sure what it was, littered all across my doorstep. The elements, and something with very small sharp teeth (squirrel? possum? mouse?) had reduced it to a messy pile. I could, however still read the name label: To Melanie & Son.
I'm distressed to not only not know your identity, but also that your thoughtfulness was eaten by creatures. Whoever you are, consider yourself thanked for your kind gesture. And allow me to offer thanks on behalf of whatever rodent found my present. I'm sure he/she enjoyed it.
Oh, and we bought a pretty sweet house.
Love Melanie and Son

Florida Family Fun

2009-06-08T07:10:00.000-07:00

I am behind. We are having an incredibly busy summer, and the blog suffers. I don't forsee this resolving until roughly late August or September, as our summer is tightly scheduled, often with major life-changing events: buy a first home, move from Arkansas into first home (in Oklahoma), Rob's first job, etc... Smattered amid the major events are smaller things: tonsil surgery, multiple trips across the country, learn about interior decorating, a bigillion sewing projects...

We spent the last week of May in Florida with Rob's family. Despite a nasty forecast, the weather was cooperative and fantastic. We credit Grandpa Tom with this; he had a discussion with the rain, and it did go away. Is it any wonder we named TJ after him? By the end of the week, the ocean was calm and turquoise blue, and the dolphins and sting rays were dancing and jumping in the waves. The sand in Florida is soft, and clean and white. White sugar sand. Mmmmm. What a fun place, and what fun company to be in.

TJ was afraid of the ocean at first and had to be held. But by the end of the week he was an all-star beach bum.

Here we have all of the little cousins together.

TJ took the opportunity to beat up his younger cousin, Hailey, and steal her binky. She was a good sport about it.

Never one to watch other's eat and not demand his due, TJ suckered Grandma Sandy into feeding him the rest of her dinner at the Crab Shack.

And the pool was such a big hit. What a nice way to rinse all that sand off.

Show me the boobs, mom!

2009-05-23T20:13:00.000-07:00

Funny Things

2009-05-21T06:15:00.000-07:00

TJ+ baba ghanoush = love at first taste+ scary diaper. He ate almost our whole plate, and cried if we stopped feeding him.
More and more, this is what I find when I go in to get TJ after a nap:

I've tried telling him that 7 months is WAY too young to be standing, but he doesn't listen.

So this picture makes me laugh so much. This is the dog's bed (don't worry, I clean it all the time now that TJ likes to lay on it *sigh*). The dog lays here almost all day long and stares out the window, watching the passing cars. Lately, TJ keeps crawling onto Chasqui's bed. Chasqui doesn't always like how rough TJ plays, and so runs away from him, leaving TJ to find other entertainment. One day TJ noticed the cars passing outside. He laid on the bed and watched out the window for almost 30 minutes, just like Chasqui does. I laughed everytime I looked over at him.

And while TJ was on his bed, Chasqui found a pillow that had been left on the floor and cozied up. Ha!

Having a dog and a child is not for the fainthearted. It really is like having 2 little kids. What a zoo.

It All Started With An Apron

2009-05-18T12:34:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago TJ and I went to a local fabric store looking for cotton knits for diapers. Well, they didn't carry anything that I wanted to make diapers out of, but they did have all sorts of beautiful cotton wovens; I felt the latent sewing-bug stirring to life, and decided I needed to make an apron. I didn't love my first attempt, so had to try again. Much better. But I still had lots of fabric. So I made my niece a reversable smockette:

After a visit to the library provided me with a stack of sewing books, I made a kimono-style robe so I can lounge like a movie star whilst TJ scrubs the floors and cooks me dinner.
But my latest endeavor is probably the one I am most pleased with. Take a look at my pretty bag. I'm especially proud of all the cool little pockets and compartments on the inside. And it's all backed with heavy-weight canvas, so I can pile in all those library books without fear.

But I still have lots of fabric, so....

That Baby

2009-05-10T12:28:00.000-07:00

I don't know if anyone likes seeing pictures as much as we like taking them; but since it's a parent's perogative to believe everything their baby does is adorable and worthy of photographing, we will continue in our endeavors.
We've had a good week. We're keeping busy trying to coordinate a move to Oklahoma City (early July), tonsil surgery (last day in June), buying a house (June), along with various other projects. TJ is doing fantastic. He has finally finished cutting his first tooth, is crawling like a pro, and tearing the house apart faster than I can put it back together (I hear this lasts for many many years).

The sight of a naked TJ crawling away from me as fast as he could go was an all too-frequent occurance in our house. Everytime I tried to change his diaper, I'd no sooner get the diaper off then away he'd go, free and happy, sometimes with the sprinkler system running as he went.
Then my sister taught me this handy move:
It's also useful for keeping him from grabbing his bottom and rubbing poop all over before I can get him cleaned up. Wow, this kid is into everything.

Happy Mother's Day to all!

Baby Food Wars

2009-05-06T07:24:00.001-07:00

RANT ALERT. If you wish, you can simply scroll to the bottom to see the pictures of my cute little boy. If you wish to read the rant: I am not a conspiracy theorist. I do not believe Gerber is trying to take over the world. I do think they have seen a market opening and taken it, in a rather brilliant way.

In order for me to be able to quit working and stay home with TJ, we had to make some pretty major cost cuts and hold to a strict budget. So it stands to reason that TJ is on a budget, too. To this end, I have been making all of his baby food; baby food can be prepared at home for anywhere to 3-10 cents per ounce, whereas commercially prepared baby food is anywhere from 28-45 cents per ounce, depending upon brand names, organic, etc, etc. When I first started out on this venture a couple months ago, I was pretty nervous and intimidated. A trip to the library furnished me with all sorts of useful books, and I ground my first batch of baby cereal. I wanted to be very careful about how I made the food, what I used, etc, and so read quite alot. And the more I read, sometimes the more confused I became. One author, a PhD, advocates kiwi as the perfect first food for babies, safe starting at 4 months. Whilst another, a nutritionist, says kiwi is not suitable until at least 9 months of age (by the time I read the later, TJ had already eaten at least 3 kiwis). Introduce egg yolk at 7 months, says one. No, no, not until 10 months, says another. Almost every book had major disagreements from another, and they were all written by educated people. So then I started reading about infant physiology and nutritional needs. Interestingly, the enzymes in an infant's digestive tract are almost identical to an adults by six months of age. So all these bizarre food rules about what to feed a baby and when are driven by... what? The fear of allergies I understand. However, later introduction of a certain food does not lessen the risk of allergies; it DOES ensure an older baby with a larger (read: safer) airway, should an allergic attack occur; all wise things to be aware of if food allergies run in your family, or you suspect allergies or sensitivities in your child. So, since starting at about six months a baby's digestive tract can safely pass almost exactly what an adults' can, the real question should be more along the lines of what foods will supply a baby with the nutritional to meet his needs, not what foods are "safe" (with a few exceptions; there are foods which are more prone to carry infections, which an adults' immune system can more safely handle, and these should be avoided).
So with all this reading and thinking about food and infant feeding lately, I've been pretty aware of food relationships in general: The Kid's Menu at restaurants. Ads for bottled baby food, NOW available with DHA. And the kicker: Gerber has just launched a new line of toddler foods, which are, in essence, TV dinners for 4-year-olds. Their tag-line was something along the lines of "with Gerber, you'll only have to prepare ONE meal (for the adults); Gerber's got you covered with frozen macaroni and cheese for the kids and baby food for the infants". I'm impressed with their marketing. Really, I am. It's brilliant. And I do think Gerber is a fine company. I'm not out to decry their product. But I'm also saddened by the food-relationship babies begin developing in infancy: we feed them highly-processed, highly-refined, fortified, commercial foods their entire infancy. So mom is already used to feeding the baby something different from what the rest of the family is eating. As they get older, the graduate to... Gerber Graduates food. Again, highly-processed, highly-refined commercial foods. In essence, a diet of white bread. Is it any wonder that we have created the culture of the Kid's Menu, where children eat something different from their parents every night? Of course the things on our plate are foreign and unpalatable to them! Of course they want macaroni and cheese, or PB&J for every meal; these are processed, refined commercial foods. It's what they are familiar with, what tastes good to them. It also leads to childhood obesity. The old adage, you are what you eat? A little too true.
So although I began making TJ's babyfood from an economic and environmental standpoint, I'll continue for other reasons as well: it's healthier. It's greener. It's WAY cheaper. it's simple: he eats alot of what I eat. It's SUPER easy, now that the intimidation is gone. No special equipment needed; you DO NOT need the Beaba BabyCook babyfood maker--but Williams and Sonoma will glady sell you one for $150, which you'll then need to keep mineral-free by purchasing only the highest-quality bottled water (never mind that tap water is actually more regulated than bottled water), which Dean and Deluca will gladly sell you. Parenting can cost as much--or as little--as the consumer allows it to cost. Okay, so the excessive consumerism rant is a whole different one, and I'll try to contain myself to one rant at a time.
As TJ gets older and even MORE opinionated, he may throw temper tantrums over eating what we're eating. But for now, while I am in exclusive control of his diet, he's going to eat as much whole, unprocessed, unrefined, local and organic food as possible.
There's a pervasive myth that "it's more expensive to be green". And yet the greenest things I do are primarily driven by the need to cut costs: decrease the power bill by line drying/hang drying as much laundry as possible, cloth diaper, cook for my family, and buy locally. Ah, the irony of it all.

Now, please allow me to sweeten my rant with a few pictures of my beautiful, happy little boy:

TJ's crawling gets better and better every day. He is a super early crawler, becoming mobile before he was 7 months old. Now he's working on standing up holding onto the couch. The standing periods are pretty brief, and I haven't been able to get a picture of one yet, but here he is on his knees, having just stood and fallen back down.

Chasqui has been a bit neglected ever since TJ was born. We recently took him to the dog park to play with his nearly-forgotten doggy-friends. I think TJ had the best time of all. TJ LOVES the dog, so what could be better than a whole park, clear full of dogs? He was so happy that day:

I think Rob was pretty happy, too. Rob loves the dog park, also. What is it with boys and their dogs?

Eye of the Tiger

2009-05-03T12:24:00.000-07:00

I have a brother named Matthew, who is only slightly younger than I. Growing up, we got into all sorts of mischief. Mom always said, "what one mind couldn't think of, the other would". I remember pouring small puddles of dad's aftershave onto the bathroom counter top and lighting it on fire, blowing bubbles in the bathtub, mixing motor oil into mud, and all other sorts of naughtiness. As Matt got older, he turned into more and more of a tease and a tormentor. His favorite game became Eye of the Tiger. Eye of the Tiger was a constant running contest to assess who was the toughest of the contestants. We did the dumbest things to prove our "toughness". Whoever wimped out first was the loser:

Laying the iron on bare skin, then turning it on
holding our hands out the windows while driving in a blizzard
who could run the most laps around the outside of the house barefoot in the winter (keep in mind that I grew up in Idaho)
laying on the unheated concrete of our unfinished basement
holding the 50lb bag of rock salt

Virtually anything painful or miserable was bound to become a contest, with Matt yelling "eye of the tiger, eye of the tiger" at us if we even thought about giving up. Family hikes usually featured Matthew devising some new torment to prod the slow ones along, bellowing "eye of the tiger, eye of the tiger" all along the trail.

As I've gotten older, I've developed more and more of an interest in endurance sports, particularly distance running. Maintaining an aggressive running schedule has been a real challenge with a baby. I am so grateful for a good jogging stroller, but still spend all week looking forward to Saturday, the one day I get to leave TJ with Rob and run free. The Saturday run has come to mean so much, that I am willing to run in some pretty wild conditions in order to meet my mileage for the week. Yesterday was one such day. We awoke to pouring rain. I waited and waited, hoping it would let up. It never did, and I finally decided to stop waiting and just go for it. It was by far the worst I've ever run in. I was soaked through before I'd run a quarter of a mile, and when I got home, I had to stand over the sink wringing water out of clothing.

But all along the run, I kept thinking, "Eye of the tiger. Eye of the tiger." Matt would have been proud.

Catching Up

2009-04-23T18:20:00.000-07:00

Lately life runs in a series of bursts and lulls. There are the daily bursts, between naps, when I have 5 things to get done and the time for 3; then there are the napping lulls, where, again, I run around trying to get everything done.
Mostly we're just busy making lots and lots of decisions:
What car to buy? (Honda CR-V; we love it)
When to buy a house? June, we hope.
When to move? Uhm, still working on that exact date.
What to do with Rob's time off?
What vacuum should I buy?
Should I get my tonsils out? Yes. Yikes!
Can I coordinate running a race (at least a half-marathon, hopefully a full) somewhere in the midst of all this? Not looking likely just because I can't find one on a Saturday that's within a reasonable traveling distance.
So that's a brief sampling of what's been up with us.
TJ is doing so great. I'm not sure when crawling can be "officially" declared; but he is propelling himself forward across the carpet several feet at a time. Is it a crawl? Yes. A little unorthodox? Yes. Does he get where he wants to? Yes. Does he find all the things his mother wishes he wouldn't? Yes. *Sigh*
Okay. Enough talk. Picture time:
I suppose it's never too early to start dismantling the remote:
And the weather has been lovely, so we've been playing outside alot lately. TJ is fascinated with the different textures of the earth; grass, leaves, dirt, gravel... He rubs his feet and legs in it and laughs. Grass he rips up by the handful and tries to shove in his mouth.

He keeps trying to take the spoon when I'm feeding him. Sometimes I let him, but he inevitably starts to cry when there's no food forthcoming. So sometimes I just have to give him TWO spoons to hold--that way he can't grab the one I'm using to feed him with.
I love that he's getting so good at independent play... even while I'm sad that he's getting so big so fast...
TJ LOVES the dog. When I take TJ and Chasqui both for a walk--no mean feat, might I add-- TJ LOVES it. He laughs at the dog...
... and laughs...
... and laughs...
Cheese!

And Thus It Begins

2009-04-01T10:55:00.001-07:00

Trouble is coming. BIG trouble. Look what TJ can do:

Sorry the pictures are so blurry, but he rocks back and forth so madly, it's hard to even get a picture. It's taken me all morning long just to get these, even though he must have pushed himself up onto all fours at least 50 times since breakfast. Crawling is imminent.

Yes. He is wearing a Supergirl diaper. Because I figure that it's never too early for him to learn that chicks are tough. And cool.

And he's just so darn proud of himself.
And me? No, I'm not really ready for him to crawl. He's barely 6 months old. He doesn't even have teeth yet. Isn't this putting the cart before the horse? Not that there's anything I can do about it.
I am amazed by him.

A Good Natured Son

2009-03-29T15:32:00.000-07:00

Rob and I have both had spring fever pretty bad. I think we've been feeling cooped-up in general; we're still learning how to function as parents, and still maintain who we are. It's a tricky balance, this business of caring for a little one. We're used to being able to run off to foreign countries on short notice and have fabulous adventures. While trans-Atlantic travel may be on hold for a while, we have been finding other ways to enjoy ourselves. Today we took advantage of the lovely sunshine to load up the baby and the dog and head out to the woods for a walk.
All I could think while wearing TJ in the pack is how much better it felt to carry him this way, versus in-utero. Ugh. I did this same walk several times at the tail-end of my pregnancy. I enjoyed it SO MUCH MORE today (Mom, this is the same little walk/hike we went on when you were here).

TJ enjoyed eating the buckles of the pack, while Rob and I enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Arkansas is such a lovely place in the spring-time.
TJ had to come with me to the last consignment sale I went to (the dog is an unreliable and lousy babysitter; I suspect he would just watch TV and eat rubbish the whole time). He was starting to get a little bit fussy, and I wasn't done shopping yet. There was an aisle of different Exersaucers and walkers for sale next to the rack of baby clothes I was going through. I decided to put TJ in one of the Exersaucers to see if I could buy myself a little extra time... and he loved it so much I ended up buying the Exersaucer! I'm generally not a fan of battery-operated lights-and-obnoxious-sounds baby toys; I have to admit to removing all batteries and blinking lights, and even about half the toys (if you've ever seen one of these things, you know how over-done they are). TJ didn't mind at all. In fact, he is quite enamoured of his new toy. I wondered if it was just the novelty of it all, but we've had it for about 2 weeks, and he still plays in it about an hour every day. Which means time that mom can get things done. Now that was money well spent.

And now: a super-funny clip of how TJ is driving the dog bonkers:

Sweet Baby TJ is Six Months Old!!!

2009-03-25T20:32:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the blogging hiatus. We are back, and just in time to celebrate TJ's half-birthday. I can't hardly believe it's been six months. Everyone told me that he would grow up too fast. There were nights, especially during the 5-week-old colic period, that I feared it would never end. But it has by and large gone far too fast. My cuddly little newborn baby is no longer a cuddly little newborn. He is becoming an independant little person with a big personality and strong opinions. To atone for our long absence from the blog-o-sphere, here is a string what TJ has been up to the past week or two:

Hanging out with Mr. Jig. TJ and Mr. Jig are tight. They go most places together.

Little Tommy getting tummy kisses from Big Tom.
Crackers are TJ's favorite new discovery. The world of food keeps getting more and more fun (and messier).
Notice the intense concentration. This kid studies the world around him with great interest.

So this video is a few weeks old now. TJ's first vegetable was avocado. This was the first time he tried it. Since then, his diet has grown exponentially. He now eats avocado, sweet potato, squash, peas, banana, prunes, oatmeal, applesauce and crackers.

We Are Sick

2009-03-04T18:30:00.000-08:00

It all started two weeks ago when Rob had laryngitis. Then the week after that, I came down with strep throat. Then TJ came down with some bizarre hybrid virus. We are all (I hope) on the mend now, though. Stay tuned.

Getting Kicked, Sweating it Out

2009-02-19T10:07:00.000-08:00

In the quest for a more balanced workout routine (we--TJ, BabyJogger and I-- run MWF, so I needed good TTh options), I've been doing a whole ton of DVD's. Here are the ones that have made me sore for at least 2 days after:

REALLY different muscles than I'm used to using. Well done, too.
Jillian Michaels is a refreshing trainer. I do alot of Denise Austin --and I really like Denise Austin-- but sometimes I get tired of a perky little blonde telling me, "If you don't squeeze it no one else will".
This Ballet Conditioning is especially intense for a leg workout. What a BURN! I love it. I couldn't walk down stairs after the first time I did it.
Denise Yoga isn't really real yoga, but she does incorporate yoga elements. I really like this DVD. I've had this one since college, and still like it. It's only 30 minutes, so I can do this one, and do a 20 minute circuit with Jillian Michaels. Perfect.
Now, if TJ will just keep taking nice long naps, I *might* be able to fit back into my jeans someday...

Dinner Rave

2009-02-18T12:52:00.000-08:00

I have fallen in love with parchment paper. Lately I seem to keep finding all sorts of uses for it, and it's made me kind of rediscover it. TJ is often a little "high needs" in the early evenings, and makes trying to cook dinner a real challenge. So I've been looking for recipes that I can prepare ahead of time (like during his morning nap) and put back in the fridge until I'm ready to bake/cook it. Since this is basically the definition of a casserole, things in our kitchen were getting a little bland. Along came this recipe:

Parchment Baked Salmon and Vegtables

1 small fresh jalapeno pepper, ribs and seeds discarded
2 Tbsp all-fruit orange marmalade
juice of 1 lime
1/4 tsp salt
4 skinless salmon fillets, about 4 oz each
1 medium tomato
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3 c brocoli florets, chopped
3 c cauliflower florets, chopped
2 c frozen corn

In a small food processor or blender puree the jalapeno, marmalade, lime juice and salt. Spread on top of the salmon fillets. Do no clean the processor out.
Preheat the oven to 400F. Place one rack in the top third, one in the bottom third.
In the processor or blender, puree the tomato, cumin, and pepper. pour into a meduim bowl. Add the broccoli, cauliflower and corn. Mix evenly to coat.
Cut four sheets of parchment paper, about 20" long and 12" wide. With the long edges at top and bottom, fold each sheet in half. Unfold the sheets. For each packet, place a salmon fillet about 1"to the right of the crease. Spoon 1/4 of the vegetables around the salmon. Fold the left half of the parchment paper over the salmon and veggies. Seal the parchment by folding both layers together toward the food, making pleat-like folds every 2inches or so. Se sure the parchment is securley folded together. Place 2 parchment packets each on two baking sheets.
Bake for 8 minutes. Switch the placement of the sheets so the top one is now on bottom and vice-versa. Bake 8 more minutes. Opening the parchment carefully to avoid steam burns, check for doneness. The salmon should flake easily with a fork and the veggies should be tender. If not, reseal and bake another 2 mins.
To serve,slide each packet onto a plate. Allow each person to carefully open their own.

Not only is it super pretty, it's also super tasty. This recipe has led me to all sorts of concoctions, using the concept of "steaming" things inside that parchment packets. Not only is it a really healthy way to cook, but it meets my requirement of being prepared ahead of time, then I just put the parchment packets in the fridge until I'm ready to bake them. All TJ has to sacrifice is being put down for the 2 minutes it takes to put the packets in the oven and turn it on. Even he can get behind that dinner plan. Bonus: Seal your packets well, and you won't even have to wash the pans!!!

What We Do Now

2009-02-15T18:01:00.000-08:00

So it's been quite a while since I've posted; I've just been content to let Rob post a barrage of TJ pictures periodically, to keep our family viewers satiated. And I know that it may come as a bit of suprise to anyone who's been keeping track of the blog, but Rob and I do still have interests outside of TJ. Okay, well maybe not many, but I haven't lost my entire personality to motherhood: I HAVE however, lost most of my free-time to motherhood. Rob's job has been especially demanding lately, and so even though he never had much free-time to begin with, he now has even less. So if our blog makes us look like boring parents who are obsessed with their beautiful baby... well, we're guilty as charged with the obsesssion part; but we're not boring. Rob had a birthday this week, albeit a crappy one (he worked 6AM until almost 9PM)-- but I did make him a fancy-pants devil's food cake. I hope it somewhat lessened the pain of another miserable day:
I've been busy myself, mostly getting ordered about by the Boss, but getting crafty during his nap-times. I've pulled my poor old Singer sewing machine out of storage, and have been sewing away like a mad woman, working on all sorts of projects (saving the planet one recycled-wool soaker at a time, ha ha ha). My time in the kitchen has also become more interesting, as a fine layer of baby cereal now covers most surfaces (this stuff doesn't wipe up well!). I can't imagine how it gets everywhere. Can you?
Okay, so maybe we are boring parents who are obsessed with their baby. But may I present the following pictures as proof that we're justified? I think you'll agree that our lives are going to a good cause at the moment.

TJ Illustrated

2009-02-08T18:15:00.000-08:00

TJ discovered his feet a few weeks ago, and now may prefer them to breast milk. (I must admit they are pretty tasty!!!)

Rob's work schedule has been pretty rough lately, and he has been looking to TJ for soothing techniques.

The Arkansas weather has been great and we went for a family trek at Pinnacle Mountain. TJ is already a veteran hiker!

Happy! Happy! Happy!

And lastly-- an update from the last post. It didn't take him long to figure out this eating thing.

.....and now that he has figured out how to eat, there is no stopping him.

Why I am taking more baths

2009-01-28T18:43:00.000-08:00

TJs pediatrician has asked us to introduce rice cereal in an attempt to thicken his food due to his reflux. So far it has only succeeded in thickening his bath water.

How to Give a Dog a Bath When The Dog Doesn't Like Baths

2009-01-24T15:21:00.000-08:00

You will need:

One large dirty dog
Dog shampoo
Large cup or mug
Peanut butter
Spatula
Large towel
Bath tub

Begin by filling the bath tub with 4-5 inches of warm water. Once the tub has enough water, use the spatula to spread the peanut butter on the walls of the tub. The peanut butter should be slightly higher than the level of the dog's nose. Use the spatula to entice the dog into the bath. Once the dog is happily eating, use the cup to pour water over the dog until all the fur is wet. Apply shampoo. Lather. Rinse, using the cup again.
Once the peanut butter is gone, the dog will loose interest and exit the tub. The idea is to time the bath such that the clean dog coincides with a clean shower wall.

Use the towel to dry the dog.

beaUTAHful

2009-01-22T14:27:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, Rob attended a medical course in Salt Lake City. Being unable to pass up the opportunity to see friends and family--all while staying in a swanky hotel--TJ and I snuck into his suitcases... Okay, we didn't really hide in the baggage. Even though TJ would fit, I doubt he'd much enjoy the ride.
We kept busy while Rob was at his lectures. TJ and I made the rounds, and visited alot of family. It was great to catch up and see everybody.
Once Rob was done, we took advantage of the hotel's pool, met up with some friends, and watched TJ cautiously splash about.

After working up an appetite in the pool, we joined some friends in cooking--and then eating-- a fabulous Thai dinner.

We then drove to Provo to surprise Rob's grandpa Compton. He had not yet met TJ. This is a picture of his face as he came around the corner and saw Rob standing in Katie's kitchen.
TJ had a good talk with his great-grandpa-- although the conversation did tend to be a little one-sided. I'll let you guess who did most of the talking.

TJ was even nice enough to let his Aunt Katie tend him while Rob and I went skiing. We had a great time, but were relieved to lay TJ down in his own crib last night-- albeit LATE last night. He tolerated the severe disruptions to his schedule like a rock star. We kept him out partying (ooo, here I go admitting to what a bad mom I am) until almost midnight on multiple occasions, and he only had one melt-down the entire trip. He did choose to have said melt-down in the Patagonia Outlet, but I think Rob is secretly thankful for this as my shopping spree was brought to an abrupt halt and probably saved at least a couple hundred dollars.

This morning as I checked Chasqui out the kennel I think I heard an audible sigh of relief. Now we just have to get him to forgive us: Chasqui has spent 23 of the last 35 days at the kennel. He is not impressed. And thus our travelling streak comes to an end. Utah was TJ's 7th state (he's not yet 4 months old!), last night he was on his 15th airplane, and his mother feels 5 years older than she did at the beginning of December.

We are happy to be home for a while.