2012 Goals: December Update

Writing
1) I met with my writer's group on 12/29, sneaking in under the deadline of meeting this quarter.  The other members of my writer's group are so inspiring, I'm so happy that we met.  One of the members wrote a novel in November as part of National Novel Writing Month and we had lots to discuss.

Healthy
2) Tracking, tracking, tracking food and workouts. This was probably the most challenging goal.  Some weeks I did great (even tracked for more than three weeks straight without missing a day) but then there were some weeks when I only tracked a couple of days.  Though I did not meet my goal, I ended up tracking more this quarter than any time since 2002. So I'll take it.  

Romance
3) Going on a date once a month sounds like an easy goal.  In September My Heart's Desire and I went to a fun wedding, in October we did not make it out, in November we went to the movies on two separate occasions (once we had a babysitter and once my dad and stepmom shooed us out of the house so they could adore Babyface), and we have plans to sneak out to a movie tomorrow. 

Community Service
4) I wasn't sure how our family was going to be of service this quarter.  After Hurricane Sandy hit, I knew.  Local organizations connected with Occupy Sandy asked for donations.  My Heart's Desire and I went through our house and filled bags with personal care items, first aid supplies, baby diapers and wipes. 

Parenting
5) I bought several books that our parenting class teacher recommended and they had just been sitting on the shelf.  I met my goal by reading two of them.  I read The Tao of Motherhood by Vimala McClure and Simplicity Parenting Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids by Kim John Payne and Lisa Ross.

Tell the Wolves I'm Home

Several moons ago I signed up on the library waiting list for Carol Rifka Brunt's Tell the Wolves I'm Home.  Once I got my hands on it, I devoured this book in less than a weekend. This book tells a riveting story, and the reader is drawn in by the emotions and experiences of the main character.  The less you know about the story, the better.  Just pick it up and read.  You'll wish your flight was longer.

Today I am grateful for family and friends near and far, sunshine, having things to look forward to, that my holiday shopping is done, hot chocolate, quiet, my mentors, a super warm and cozy wrap, Babyface's developing sense of humor, free Kindle books from the library, flexibility, The Gray Lady online, and being able to see the silver lining.

Today I am grateful for hearing Babyface's babble, FaceTime, holiday music, being able to help others, laughing, good friends, an old car that gets me where I need to go, embracing my inner cheeseball, holiday fun to look forward to, and restaurants with a sense of humor.

 

The Tao of Motherhood

At the recommendation of my hippie parenting class teacher, I picked up a copy of The Tao of Motherhood by Vimala McClure.  Reading it reminds me what it takes to be a good mother in a beautiful way.  All I have to do is pay attention to Babyface, do what I think is right, and keep it simple.  This book can be read in one sitting, in small bites, and over and over again.  Every time I read it I have a new favorite passage.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

The first chapter of Robin Sloan's Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore is so intriguing I splurged and bought a copy for my Kindle.  I loved the premise.  Of course I did, a 24-hour bookstore is one of my dreams. While it was interesting at first, the excitement waned and I found myself correctly predicting the end (something I can rarely do) but the foreshadowing was pretty heavy handed. My high hopes for this book were dashed around the midpoint.

Thanksgiving

Today I am grateful for the many gifts in my life.  A holiday spent with My Heart's Desire, Babyface, my dad and stepmom is a wonderful day indeed.  And pie.

Today I am grateful for wonderful friends.

Simplicity Parenting

One of the books recommended in my hippie parenting class is Simplicity Parenting Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids by Kim John Payne and Lisa Ross.  While it's geared more to parents of older kids than toddlers, it had great lessons about keeping it simple and not overwhelming children. 

 

It is true that I am known as a toy Grinch and don't want a house cluttered with toys.  We went to a birthday party for one of Babyface's friends and I was shocked to see that the family had more toys than our daycare.  More isn't better. According to this book, more can be too much.  Which validated my choice to have a dozen or so age-appropriate toys out for Babyface to play with and swap them out from time to time with others.  He's perfectly happy and so am I.  Also, the book and I are in firm agreement about having passive rather than active toys. 

 

The most important message I got from the book was really simple: just pay attention to your child and believe what he is telling you.  Instead of trudging forward no matter what, parents are encouraged to watch for signs and then adjust accordingly.  Sometimes Babyface will make tired face or even lie down on the floor when it's not his usual sleep time, and instead of saying, "He can't be tired now," I think, "Oh, he must be tired" even when I don't understand why. My hippie parenting class always includes observation and I've been amazed and what I can learn just by watching Babyface. 

 

I also liked that this book had suggestions of different things to try, some easy, some more complicated, and the tone was of gentle inspiration and encouragement. I've been mulling over some things that I can do to make our home routines simple.

Today I am grateful for my sincere love of bargains, including the new-to-me Bread machine that I bought at my church's everything you can carry for $20 sale, having great colleagues, the ability to text photos of Babyface to grandparents who live far away, clean water, low-TV week (though I finished my 864 page book faster than I thought, so I'm off to the library tomorrow), fires that My Heart's Desire makes, and being a planner.

Today I got up after sunrise, gave Babyface his favorite breakfast, cleaned out my closet so that now everything in it fits and is the right season, found a pair of black work pants I forgot I had, created a big giveaway bag and a consignment bag, ate pizza with My Heart's Desire that he was taste testing, stunk up the house by making a fried egg for Babyface in rancid butter, took Babyface for a walk (to the store for more eggs) and saw deer, slow cooked homemade chicken stock, went on a movie date with My Heart's Desire, came home and had dinner, watched a few episodes of Weeds, finished reading The Hypnotist's Love Story, then went to bed.

Today I got up bright and early with Babyface, bundled him up and took him for a stroll, was happily surprised to see a lot of leaves still on trees, shopped at Whole Foods for five things and ended up spending double what I expected, read while Babyface napped, went to our last hippie parenting class of the term, hung out at home with Babyface, gave him a delicious dinner of veggies and lentils (I just learned how to make these in the rice cooker, a breeze), then a bath, cuddles in his fleece snowman pajamas, then his bedtime routine,  My Heart's Desire made the first fire of the fall, we watched The Mindy Project, ate chilaquiles with scrambled eggs for dinner, and lounged by the fire.

Babyface's Favorite Breakfast

Babyface is a hungry, hungry hippo in the morning.  Breakfast is always his biggest meal of the day.  Peanut butter pumpkin oatmeal is a great, warm breakfast that sneaks in a serving of veggies and sticks to his ribs.  The recipe below makes a big enough batch that he can eat it for several breakfasts.

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal

Ingredients:

1 cup of old fashioned oats

1/3-1/2 can of canned pumpkin (plain, not pie pumpkin)

2 c milk

2-3 big spoonfulls of peanut butter

Put milk, pumpkin, and peanut butter in pot and heat on high. When the mixture starts to boil, toss in the oats and immediately turn the heat down to medium/low.  Watch it closely because once the milk gets hot, it boils fast, and if you're not quick with the oats, it will boil over.  Give it a good stir to make sure everything is mixed up.  Set the timer for five minutes, stirring occasionally.  After the five minutes are up, remove from heat. 

When I'm making it in advance, I put into a glass bowl and after it's cooled down some, I put the lid on it and put in the fridge.  When I make it for Babyface in the morning, I spread it across a plate so it can cool enough that he can eat it.  Sometimes I stick the plate in the freezer for a minute or two and that does the trick.  The plate pictured above is almost one serving of Babyface's breakfast.  

2 Ingredient Chocolate Croissants

I wish you could smell the sweet, bready, chocolatey goodness that wafts from my kitchen.  Oh, it's amazing.  I made this batch this chilly autumn morning for another family and they were in for a delicious breakfast.  I intentionally didn't make any for My Heart's Desire or me, a decision that has proven unpopular. 

Chocolate Croissants are a great addition to brunch and a yummy holiday breakfast. I made them one Christmas morning and there were a big hit.

They are so easy and fast to make.  It only takes 16 minutes total and 13 of those minutes are baking.  However, they aren't as good as leftovers.  Okay, without further ado.

2 Ingredient Chocolate Croissants

1 package refrigerated crescent rolls (8 rolls)
Chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375.  While the oven is heating, unroll crescent rolls into 8 triangles (this is how they come).

Sprinkle the dough liberally with chocolate chips and roll up. Bring the edges around to the front.  Put them on a cookie sheet, lined with parchment if you have it, or greased if you don't.

Bake for 11-13 minutes until golden brown.  Accept compliments.

Today I am grateful for falling leaves, a quick morning rain in the drizzle, a support system, my BFF, My Heart's Desire slow-cooked turkey chili yesterday for dinner tonight, the library, the way Babyface smells after a bath (My Heart's Desire sometimes calls him Old Dirty Neck), all of our appliances work, bargains, gas in my car, and that while I don't have every thing I want, I have everything I need.

2012 Goals: Fourth Quarter

My plan for goals 2012 was to have quarterly goals.  I had first quarter goals and second quarter goals but for the third quarter I was goal-less.  I don't want to end the year with a whimper so I'm coming up with some fourth quarter goals.  It's somewhat daunting to consider adding more things to my things to do list but I've also been in a bit of a rut. These are also goals I think I can achieve before the last day of the year.

Here are my goals for October—December:

Writing
1) Participate in my writer's group.  The last time we had a meeting on the books I had to reschedule it.  We have one scheduled now and I am going to show up with bells on. We have been meeting since the first summer after graduate school, that's eight years now.

Healthy
2) My trainer has strongly suggested that I track my food and workouts in an online tracker.  My goals is to do it at least five times a week. She always says the only way to change something is first to bring your attention to it.

Romance
3) My Heart's Desire and I will go on dates at least once a month.  It takes some doing and scheduling to make happen but it can be done.  We went to a lovely wedding in September and it was nice to get dressed up and celebrate love.  Oh, and be a little silly.

Community Service
4) Usually My Heart's Desire and I participate in sorting food for my church's Thanksgiving food drive providing meals for hungry families.  I'm not sure we can work it out this year but I do want our family to be of service somehow.

Parenting
5) I'm continuing to take the parenting classes with Babyface at the hippie school.  Some of the other babies and moms have been in the class since last fall and it's really wonderful to see how they change and grow.  I've also bought several books at our teacher's recommendations.  Now, I want to actually read at least two of them.

Easy like Sunday morning

This morning I woke up at 5:30 because it was ch-ch-chilly in the house.  I tiptoed over to the thermostat and put the heat on, then climbed back in bed.  I was going to lay down for a minute then find my glasses and read when lo and behold I fell back to sleep.  I heard Babyface at around 7:30 (yesterday he got up for me at 6:30) and My Heart's Desire took care of him.  I slept and slept until after 8am!  This, for me, is amazing!  I haven't slept past 6:30 in months.  I felt like a whole new (and happier) person!

Babyface and I have colds so our usual weekend activities like long walks outside, fun time at the park and a few errands were discarded for lounging in our jammies.  Now he's taking his afternoon nap and I am making fresh bread in the breadmaker I scored at my church's rummage sale last hour super sale of everything you can carry for $20.  I made out like a bandit and we'll see how good this bread is.  Next I want to bake cinnamon bread to make French Toast.  This autumn has been a bit fickle but cool temperatures will soon be here to stay.

Today I am grateful for hot water, Babyface's zerberts, beautiful weather, falling leaves, regional accents, getting a kick out of Maria Semple's Where'd You Go, Bernadette, tried and true recipes, sneaking in a nap, a nice chat with my mom, my soft, super-comfy maternity capri sweatpants, a fancy pedicure to look forward to, mulling, thrift store/rummage sale treasures that brighten up the house, finishing a magazine, keeping a sense of humor, priorities, appreciating our big TV (My Heart's Desire bought it a year and a half ago and I still think of it as the new TV), early 90's comedies, the smell of clean laundry, making lists, good friends, and every day is a new beginning.

Blame

Blame by Michelle Huneven is about Patsy, an alcoholic woman who goes to jail for running over two Jehovah's Witnesses in her driveway during yet another blackout.  Patsy gets sober, is released, and starts a new life in the shadow of her old one.  The story is very interesting though it feels like it's about her head and not her heart.  I wanted to know more about how she felt. 

Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken

I planned to make my Slow Cooker Homestyle Roast Chicken yesterday.  Even though I took the chicken out of the freezer on Sunday morning, it was still really frozen inside.  I did have some mostly thawed chicken breasts I was going to bake the following day.  So I decided to make really easy pulled chicken for last night's dinner.

In addition to chicken, I used just three ingredients: liquid smoke, BBQ seasoning, and garlic.

I rubbed the chicken with the seasoning and put it in the crock pot.  I added big tablespoons full of garlic and liquid smoke.  Then I covered the chicken in water.  Easy like Parcheesi.

I slow cooked it on low for 6 hours. My crock has a warm setting so I didn't have to worry about getting to it as soon as it was cooked.  After Babyface fell asleep, I poured out the water and shredded the chicken with forks.

Then I poured in some barbeque sauce and mixed it all up with the tongs.  These tongs are great for a lot of reasons and they don't scratch the crock. 

I served the pulled chicken on rolls.  It would also have been good on a roll or regular bread.  The sandwich pictured doesn't have very much sauce, which is the way My Heart's Desire likes it.  He also put a slice of cheese on top.  He'll put cheese on anything that will hold still.

We ate these sandwiches with a bag of steamed veggies.  It was fast and good, a great combination for a weeknight dinner. I froze the leftovers and will eat them some other night I really don't feel like cooking.

Today I woke up early with Babyface, gave us both breakfast, did laundry, went for a long walk in the neighborhood, talked to my dad for the first time in weeks since he was overseas until today, used up all of my pumpkin pie spice baking pumpkin oatmeal muffins and bread (my house smells so good!), gave Babyface lunch and put him down for a nap, read a bit of The Dressmaker, then dozed for a few minutes until My Heart's Desire started splitting a stump (from the massive tree that came down during a summer storm) with a wedge and sledgehammer right outside the bedroom window, did more laundry, went to our neighborhood block party, dropped off the pumpkin oatmeal bread to a friend who has a baby, came home and had my enchiladas made by My Heart's Desire (they were extra cheesy), watched two episodes of Louie, and am going to bed.

Today I am grateful for crisp weather, a good night's sleep, a lovely autumn morning walk with Babyface, a nice chat with my sister, clean laundry, a spare pair of eyeglasses, driving My Heart's Desire's old car The Intimidator while my car is in the shop, Netflix, hugs, and the quality of my problems.

5 Things I Learned: Traveling With Babyface

This summer we took Babyface on a cross-country flight to California. 

Last weekend we went on a road trip.  Both were visits to see family.  Those were Babyface's first flights and long drives.  I thought we were pretty well prepared and for the most part we were. 

Here are 5 things I learned about traveling with Babyface:

1. It's totally worth it to buy Babyface his own seat on the plane. Yes, it's expensive and it was worth every penny. Because we had bought his seat, we were able to carry his car seat on the plane.  Babyface had a great place to nap and My Heart's Desire and I didn't have to hold him the entire time. We also had a whole row to ourselves and didn't have to worry about bothering the person sitting next to us.
2. Bring way more food for everyone. When I thought I had brought enough food for Babyface, he was sure to go on a tear and eat everything up. Also, I need to have snacks handy too, it's not enough to have food for the little one. When I get hungry, I get grouchy.  Granola bars, cheese, veggies, or fruit can remedy the situation.
3. Add at least an hour and a half to the road trip time estimate.  We had to stop much more frequently and our stops were for a whole lot longer than they used to be. 
4. Manage expectations.  Traveling with Babyface is so different than when I would travel alone or with another adult.  The pace varies greatly, especially when he was taking two naps daily in another time zone. 
5. Take people up on their offers to watch Babyface.  In California, My Heart's Desire and I were able to have a couple of meals as well as go to a weekday matinee.  We had fun while Babyface was being adored as favorite grandson/nephew.

Today I am grateful for Jersey tomatoes, the home office, comfy sweatpants, sleeping in my own bed, reading glasses, fluffy novels, that it's starting to feel like fall (my favorite season), not having homework, speakerphone, and the feel of Babyface's weight in my arms.

Today I am grateful for a great Babyface/Mommy day!

How I Know I'm A Grown Up #3

It's almost impossible for me to sleep in.  I usually rise early with Babyface, around 6, or even earlier, around 5.  Even when I have the opportunity to sleep in, I can't.  This morning I slept until almost 7, which is about as late as I can sleep.  7 feels like 9 used to.

Late Summer Books

 The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
My coworker recommended this book to me and I got it from the library on CD.  I listened to it and found myself fond of the flawed and relatable characters and driving slow.  I really liked the story once it got going but it could have started in the middle.

Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan
I took another recommendation from the same coworker and I listened to a library copy on CD.  I liked it but I didn't love it.  The Kelleher family certainly has cornered the market on family guilt and obligation with a side of serious drinking.

Ali in Wonderland by Ali Wentworth and Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?(And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

I like laughing so I got these books from the library.  They were both fast, funny reads.  I don't watch the show Kaling's on but I still thought it was funny.  Actually, the same coworker recommended that book also.  I might be in a book club of two.

Four of a Kind by Valerie Frankel 
A light and fluffy book that would be good to toss in your beach bag.  I enjoyed her nonfiction book Thin is the New Happy so much that I wanted to pick this up too.  A library book for sure.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
I don't really read thrillers very much but I really liked this one.  I bought it for my Kindle and could hardly put it down.  The less you know about the story, the better. Just pick it up and read.

How I Know I'm A Grown Up #49

When I see teenagers driving cars covered in cool band stickers, I don't recognize any of the bands.

Today I am grateful for waking up before the alarm, reading a sad book while Babyface slept in (a rare occurence!), having a nice chat with my sister, going for a late summer walk, getting Babyface's photo taken at JCP, sharing two dishes from my favorite restaurant with a friend, chatting up the proverbial storm, salty oat chocolate chip cookies, a quick talk with my dad while is is overseas, Babyface's long nap, finishing an episode of The Newsroom, and plans to go to Trader Joe's tonight.

Fall!

I am ready for fall! crisp apples, chilly mornings and evenings, sweaters, colorful leaves, warm socks, fires in the fireplace, and flannel pajamas.

Today I am grateful for the big umbrella I keep in my car, ocean sounds to listen to at work, Pad Thai, Babyface's smile, my friends who are moms or moms-to-be, Google Documents, breezy summer books, everything I learned at school, clean sheets, the weekend ahead, feeling close to people who live far, and my mentor.

Here's Looking at Euclid

I'm the kind of person that asks people at parties: What are you reading and is it good?  Which is how I found out about Here's Looking at Euclid by Alex Bellows.  No imagination is wild enough to believe that I am a math person.  I am the opposite of a math person.  So imagine my surprise when I find myself so interested in this book. 

The author has both a math and journalistic background, so it helps non-mathy people such as myself fascinated by this book.  A mere history of numbers and mathematical concepts it is not.  This book explores math from indigenous cultures in the Amazon rain forest to the concept of zero to pi to math games to gambling and much, much more in between. 

Today I am grateful for light summer traffic, nice coworkers, a backup meal when my slow cooker dinner was a disaster, Kindle library books, peach season, Post-Its, the smell of Babyface's hair, and sleeping in my own bed.

Today I am grateful for an easy commute, hair color, Babyface's laugh, listening to a good book on CD, cherries, prescription coverage, clean towels, a dinner I had nothing to do with cooking, a car that gets me where I need to go, and a quick visit from my dad and stepmom.

It's been a while since I blogged.  This 70' tree came down in my yard, missing our deck and cars by about two feet.  Then I didn't have Internet at home for a few weeks. 

Early Summer Books

 I was interested in reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed since I liked her earlier book, Torch, so much. A few years ago, she was a visiting writer when I was in the MFA program and gave a great reading. And signed a copy to my honorary Jewish grandmother. So I added Wild to my list at the library and waited my turn. Once I got my hands on it, I could not put it down. I opened Wild on Saturday night and by Sunday afternoon I was done. Wow! was my first reaction. This was the best book I've read in a long time.  While the book is about her journey hiking the Pacific Crescent Trail from California to Washington, it also delves into her relationship with her parents, the end of her marriage, the loss of her mother, how her sibling relationships changed, and more.  I'm still thinking about it. 

At the library I came across The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan on CD and I listened to it in my car.  I didn't like the setup, probably the first CD or so, but then once Tan got into the story I was hooked.  I was driving slowly to listen to this good book.  It was interesting and some beautiful storytelling.  It was very satisfying.

The Breakdown Lane by Jacquelyn Mitchard got a medium amount of hype and kind of mixed reviews, so I waited until it was available on my Kindle from the library.  It's about an advice columnist whose lawyer husband leaves their family.  The point of view changed from the wife to the son and that's the only thing that stopped it from being totally predictable. Not worth a beach read.

I wanted to like A Changed Man by Francine Prose about a sort-of reformed skinhead who approaches a human rights nonprofit run by a Holocaust survivor.  The writing was pretty good but the story was weak and unbelievable.

The best word to describe The Kingdom of Childhood by Rebecca Coleman is creepy. A middle-aged Waldorf Kindergarten teacher has an extramarital affair with a sixteen-year old student. Eurythmy and child molestation?  Yuck. Disjointed and unrealistic, I kept reading because I wanted it to get better. It didn't.

What happens when I can't sleep?  I read books on my Kindle that I got from the library while everyone else sleeps.  Pictures of You by Caroline Leavitt is about two women leaving their husbands who get in a car crash.  One of them dies and the other one falls in love with her husband after he finds out his wife had an affair.  Of course.

How I Know I'm A Grown Up #33

I buy the clean version of songs on iTunes.

Today I am grateful for air conditioning, my EZ pass, a spare phone charger, clean water, friends, used books, my slow cooker, when Babyface puts his arms around my neck and his head on my shoulder, watermelon, going bed early, and having things to look forward to.

Today I got up with Babyface and did the usual routine while My Heart's Desire slept in, determined that the dirtiest thing in the room (bottom of shoe, trash can pedal) is exactly the thing Babyface will want to put in his mouth, made crab and avocado salad (very tasty but not too filling), finished The Breakdown Lane, took a nap, played with Babyface, made fruit salad, took it to a friend's cookout, enjoyed sitting in the shade and chatting, and downloaded more library books on my Kindle.

The Imperfectionists.

I wasn't sure what to expect from Tom Rachman's The Imperfectionists and was surprised that I got a kick out of it.  I read it on my commute and enjoyed it. This book is a novel in interconnected stories, each one good enough to stand alone.

Bean and Corn Enchiladas

These enchiladas are so good it's hard to believe how easy they are to make. It's just assembly then baking. I often make them ahead (assemble on Sunday, bake on Tuesday). And since it's no more trouble to make two pans than one, I double it and freeze the other pan.

Ingredients (for one pan):

1 can mild or medium enchilada sauce. 
1 can refried or 2 cans of black beans
1 can corn
1 package shredded Mexican cheese mix (I use light but regular's fine too)
1 package tortillas
1/2 cup or so chopped onions







Pour half of the can of enchilada sauce into a Pyrex casserole dish.  Any rectangle or square shaped one is fine.

Put one of the tortillas down in the sauce and put in one handful each of beans and cheese, maybe half a handful of corn.  Add around a tbsp of the chopped onions.  Roll the whole thing up so there's sauce on most of the outside of the tortilla.

Repeat filling and rolling tortillas until there's no more room in the pan.

Then pour the remaining sauce over the top of the tortillas.  Spread the remaining cheese on the top too.

Bake at 350* for 20-30 minutes. 

Bean and corn enchiladas are great with salad and rice.  I usually substitute 1/4 cup of salsa for water when making rice in the rice cooker and it turns out terrific.

Today I am grateful for big sunglasses, registering for parenting class in the fall, portraits of Babyface, the cheap gas station near my office, Kermit Ruffins & Rebirth Brass Band, summer fruit, that I know how to type, having time to mull decisions, and having things to look forward to.

The Worst Book I Ever Read

I read a lot of books and when I don't care for a book, I usually don't say anything at all.  However, this book was so bad I can't help it. 

Why did I even read one word of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith?  For the book club that I recently joined.  The women seem nice and almost everyone reads the book. And that this month's book club was the last book club event until fall. 

Thankfully, I got this book from the library and read it on my Kindle.  If I had paid even one penny for it, I would have lobbied to get my money back.  Grahame-Smith's book was almost campy in it's badness.  Characters were more like caricatures.  A fourth grader could have predicted the ending.  I was mad at myself for reading it.

What's the worst book you ever read?

Baby Food for Babyface

Everything that Babyface eats, I make.  I've been pretty much steaming veggies and fruits and then puréeing them in the small food processor.  On weekends, I spend an hour or so making purees and then freezing them in ice cube trays.  It's been fine but as the weather gets warmer, I don't like heating up the house.
Last weekend I poked holes in sweet potatoes with a sharp knife, put them in the slow cooker with a cup of water or so, and cooked them on low for three hours.  Then I pureed them in the small food processor.  So easy!  And it doesn't heat up the whole kitchen like using the oven or stove.

About a month ago I broke our old small food processor, it was the 2.5 cup Cuisiniart mini, which had done its job for at least seven years.  So when My Heart's Desire saw this one on sale at Costco, he snapped it up for a song.  It has no bells or whistles, but is perfect for this job.

At the farm stand today I bought some beets and am going to try them in the slow cooker tomorrow.  I puree everything — the beets, the stalks, and the greens.  So far beets are a big hit with Babyface.

Today I got up with Babyface, cuddled and played with him, made a tin and a half of breakfast frittatas, played more, put him down for a nap, worked out, took Babyface to JCP to get his supercute portrait taken, went to our last parenting class (sniff), came home and put him down for another nap, ate goat cheese and apple while watching part of Mad Men On Demand, had Homestyle Roast Chicken with asparagus, cauliflower, and rice with My Heart's Desire, watched the rest of my show, and started my book club book, Abraham Lincoln:Vampire Hunter.

2012 Goals: May Update

Writing
1) My writing group decided to share work in mid-June.  It turns out I wasn't that crazy about the essay so now I'm mulling on something else.
2)  Just like in April, I blogged 7 times this month, which is just shy of my goal of 8 times. 

Healthy
3) I worked out four times a week and wrote it all down on paper. I have to be flexible since Babyface sometimes still gets up in the middle of the night.  One night when he was teething with a fever, he got up every 90 minutes from 7pm - 4am.

Romance
4) I did not go on any dates with My Heart's Desire.  I emailed our babysitter to make arrangements and found out she was going to India for a while.  So, no date for us.  I also put up an ad for a backup babysitter.

Parenting
5) The parenting classes were extended by another month so Babyface and I are enjoying that very much.  I listened to most of Jane Eyre (just to get that extra Britishness) and attended a book club through one of the Mom organizations I belong to.  It is always strange showing up to an event where I know nobody, but I was glad I went.

Two Divorce and Food Novels

I recently read Meredith Mileti's Aftertaste: A Novel in Five Courses and Judith Hendrick's Bread Alone. The protagonists were both married women who get unceremoniously dumped for their husband's colleagues.  What follows the crisis is food, drinking, and old friends. In these books, there's no match for a man's midlife crisis plus a sexy underling. While these books were predictable, they were enjoyable in a beachy way. And yes, they both include recipes.

Classy

When I want to learn something, I do two things.  First, I get my hands on books and read.  And read. And read. Here is a partial list of the books I read while pregnant:
What to Expect When You're Expecting
Your Pregnancy Week by Week
Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
The Breastfeeding Sourcebook
The Complete Book of Pregnancy & Childbirth
Hypnobirthing
Mothers Who Think
And Baby Makes Three
The Working Woman's Pregnancy Book
Baby 411
Baby Bargains
From the Hips
The Essential C-Section Guide
The Happiest Baby on the Block
Assorted baby name books

Then, I take classes.  Before Babyface was born, I really wanted to be prepared.  So in addition to our Hypnobirthing class (I told you I was a hippie), My Heart's Desire and I took several others.  Infant first aid and CPR was informative and I hope we never have to use it.  We took a Babycare skills class, which was what to do with your newborn at home.  It taught us the basics of eats, sleeps, poops, and cries as well as what's weird but normal and when to call the pediatrician in the middle of the night. I  signed up for a breastfeeding class but Babyface arried before the class and by then I was getting plenty of personal attention from nursing pros.

After Babyface was born, of course I wanted to take more classes!  I was really lucky to find a wonderful parenting class.  I've really gotten a lot out of the weekly parent/infant class at the hippie school.  All of the babies in the class are around the same age and it's been wonderful to see the babies, parents, and teacher almost every week.  I learned about respecting Babyface, conscious cooperative care, and how much can be learned from observation.  I've been able to be a much calmer parent.  I also took an infant massage class, which I liked and Babyface loved.  And yes, he does get regular massages.  This spring I signed Babyface up for a parent-assisted swim class (really, it could be called Hey Babies, This is Water) which he liked but the time wasn't ideal so we didn't make it to a lot of them.

Next month the parenting class breaks for summer. I'll definitely miss our group and am planning to return in the fall.  I looked into what other classes were offered this summer and nothing sounded awesome.  So we're going to take a break from classes for a little while.  I'm part of a playgroup and enjoy getting the babies and parents together.  I also have some mom friends and acquaintances I would like to see more often.  It'll be a great summer!

Today I am grateful for having a long morning, going for a great walk, reading glasses (even if I did have to come home and get them), making my life easier by keeping a phone charger at work, parenting communities, Kindle downloads from the library, pancakes for dinner, tons of blooms on my hydrangea, spring showers, Mad Men on demand, and cuddles with Babyface.

Spring Books

Let's start with two books about the French Revolution. 

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran.  Interesting, well paced, and did not skimp on the graphic details of life and death.  It was enthralling.  I listened to YA novel Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly. I didn't realize it was YA until mid-way through, it was shelved with the adult fiction books and I was desperate for something to listen to.  If I was a teenager I probably would have loved it.

I read Arcadia by Lauren Groff, which I liked a lot, despite it being a bit over-hyped. I thought it was good, not great.  I got it from the library after a little wait.  Worth a library wait, I wouldn't have bought it. It's the story of a boy born in a commune and his life as he grows into adolescence and adulthood. It's very well written.

Based on a colleague's recommendation, I checked out Maeve Binchy's Whitethorn Woods. I listened to it and found it okay.  If I had been reading the book, I probably wouldn't have finished it, but I had nothing else to listen to.  I listen to lots of books on CD that I get from the library and find I don't want to hear anything else in the car.  When else, as an adult, do I get to sit down and listen to someone tell me a story? 
 
I had high expectations for Chuck Palahniuk's Damned since I really liked his previous work, but this book wasn't a hit.  It was funny in places and fast-moving, but ultimately I found myself bored. It's the kind of book that wouldn't have seen the light of day if it wasn't for the famous name.
 
Keith Donohue's Centuries of June surprised me with how good it was.  This novel contained stories about eight different women told in a bathroom to a man with a hole in his head.  The premise was clever and the stories were well-written.  The less you know about the book before you read it, the more enjoyable it is.

I enjoyed The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb: A Novel by Melanie Benjamin more than I expected.  A historical novel about the 2'8" woman who went from being a teenaged schoolteacher in rural Maine to traveling with P.T. Barnum and becoming an international sensation.   

Brian Wansink's nonfiction book Mindless Eating really opened my eyes to the things I put on my plate. It was so interesting to read and learn about unconscious food choices and habits. And just like advertising, everyone thinks they are immune. I've made some real changes at home and at work.


Bad Mother: A Chronicle of Maternal Crimes, Minor Calamities, and Occasional Moments of Grace by Ayelet Waldman offers an honest and sometimes hilarious look at motherhood.  It also had me thinking about my own parents in a different way.