Going Home

We had a great time this weekend. Well, M and I had a great time. A tolerated being at a "family" wedding where the only people he knew enough to be comfortable around were the people actively involved in the wedding (bride, groom, parents, siblings of all). I got to see all of the people I really like from my home town that still live there. I got to show off my beautiful daughter in her twirling "wedding dress" (thanks to Stefania for sending that at just the right time). She charmed just about everyone.

She especially took to the bride (I think it may have been the stunning dress and the fact that we talked about her wedding for days), and the mother of the bride. The mother of the bride is my second mom. The cool mom (sorry mom). She's the one I could talk to about stuff I couldn't talk to my own mom about. The funny part is, when I was about M's age, I really took to her too. I was the little kid following her around. Apples, trees, you know the rest.

We're back home, but M stayed up North to hang out with Grandma Tere (seen above). She is having a great time being entertained by all kinds of new people. Running around the property where I grew up. Getting in to trouble the bride's cousin's son. (who's dad was the resident troublemaker when I was a kid) Charming everyone she meets.

She has requested to not go home. Instead she would like Grandma to drive her right down to Nana & Grandpa D's. We're sort of hoping by Wednesday she'll miss us enough to come back here.

On the off chance that you ever find yourself in Fergus Falls, I would like to point out to you a couple of things. First, Falls Baking Co. Home of the best bread on the planet. No, not kidding. I've had a lot of bread, and Scott's can't be beat. Second, Stumbeano Coffee. I am a coffee nerd, and I'm here to tell you I had the best latte of my life on Sunday morning, at Cafe 116. Made by Greg Stumbo himself. I would like to bundle both of them up and move them closer to the rest of my life. In the mean time I'll settle for putting and order in with my mom for when she brings M back.

Whole Wheat Sour Dough, Oatmeal & a French Boule. I'd also like a pound of Greg's Espresso Roast. I need it ground, I can't do anything fine enough for my stove top Bialetti at home.

For Mothers and Those About to Rock

A hates flowers. They make him sneeze. He was forced to live with lilacs as a child, despite both boys being allergic to them. He still resents all flowers for this.

However, he knows I love them. Sometimes, even with his issues, he gets them for me. Usually when I least expect it.

Yesterday, when I least expected it, he got me the perfect flowers. They are all kinds of bright and cheerful, and I love them.

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms, regardless of what your path to motherhood has been. And for those who are struggling with today, Happy OMG You Rock Day! I cannot help but think of my friends who have been pained by this day in recent years, and those who are still struggling. I hope there is some peace for you.

Queen of the Weekend

This weekend, after much hype and high expectations, M had her first sleep over. It was at Grandpa & Nana's, down in Red Wing, and while not that far away, it did require close to five hours of total driving for A & I. We're hoping that the success of it (and it was a wild success) means that maybe the in-laws can meet us half way next time. We're also hoping that they will keep her for longer at some point, perhaps in August.

Before we made it out of town, she was asking to go back, asking when she could go again, and falling asleep. Apparently no nap, late to bed, early to get up and lots of excitement (including an unexpected visit from the cousins) can really wear a girl out.

We made good use of the time alone to do fun stuff like go out to dinner at Solera (a 5th anniversary treat using a gift card given to us for our wedding). We also watched a movie and were generally boring (I have a cold and did not want to get anyone else sick, so we were really really boring). Best part however was sleeping in.

I also made good use of the time in the car to finally knit up a pattern I got from Knit Picks awhile back.



I tried to get M to pose nicely for a picture of it, but she was too strung out from a lack of sleep that we could barely understand what she was saying, let alone get her to follow directions. Fortunately the bear follows directions quite well.

One sort of worked out, but required a lot of blurring to make it blog acceptable. I think I may modify it slightly for her giant noggin and knit in a warmer yarn (the pattern calls for cotton) and make a really fun winter headband. For now I'm working one up in pink so there are at least two to play with when the cousins come for her birthday.

Keep Your Family Close

I very nearly forgot to post because today my brother came to visit. On his way down to Rochester to look for a place to live. Work has given him a promotion, and a transfer, and he is getting out of our home town. When the house sells, all of our connection to it will be gone. (except a little land my mom has in the country) It is odd, but a good thing. He's 29, wants to have a family and a career, and neither would happen in Fungus Flats. (his name for it)

So, today we went shopping for stuff we needed his truck for, and then hung out and had a good evening. Tomorrow, more of the same. It will be so nice to have him living closer to us. M for sure will love it, seeing as she has claimed him as her's and her's alone.

Pre-Schooled

We got the official word this week that M will be moving up to preschool in a week and a half.


Preschool. As in not a toddler any more. As in, all the heck grown up. Like next big step is Pre-K1 in a whole YEAR. Next year we'll have to start thinking about what school we want her to go to. if we want to do the neighborhood school or something in our "zone".

OMFG.

I am the mother of a preschooler.

We're planning big things for this whole preschool thing. We've been setting it up for months now. Preschoolers listen to their teachers. Preschoolers sit nicely when they eat. Then there is the big one, preschoolers give their Nuk's to babies. Preschoolers don't need Nuk's.

I was looking for the perfect transition away from it, and preschool seemed like the logical choice. She only uses them at home, she hasn't at daycare in some time. We're done with vacation, a situation where she could possibly need a little something extra to sleep. I am hoping everyone gets over the cold by then, since I suspect there will be a few nights of little sleep. I am hoping it goes well. Just to be sure we stick to it, we are actually "giving" the Nuk's to a friend's new baby. Not that he'll use them, but it makes it look good to M.

Ack! Preschooler! How did this happen?

It is just a baby river.

There were a lot of things that M was looking forward to about our vacation. We tried to impress upon her how special and cool it was that we were going to Itasca. We were going to the home of the baby 'Sippi river. She's been calling it the 'Sippi River every time we cross since early this year. When we cross back the other way it is Two 'Sippi River. Baby was the best way we could explain how it changes from a small stream in the north woods to what it is here, to eventually what it becomes in New Orleans.



Mostly, before we left, she talked about the bike trailer. She wasn't so sure when she saw it, but she likes going fast, so any fears were quickly forgotten. It creates a bit more drag than the bike seat, but I didn't mind pulling it. I'm not sure if I would have felt the same way a few months ago.


The life of the person who takes pictures is that I always get to see these kinds of firsts. She would have walked back and forth on that all day if we had let her.


As it was, we knew we were all getting tired and hungry. Just one more time though.


If you are wondering, yes it really is that beautiful and green up there. While we have been hurting for rain here, they have had enough up north. The weather was gorgeous for the whole trip, if not a little warm.

I love the city. I love the diversity, the culture, the access to fresh vegetables. However, if I could find a way to have a good job and fresh produce up there, I'm not sure if I would want to stay here so much. It is so beautiful.

Wednesday Garden Update

My mom, grandma Tere, will be here tomorrow (blogging may be light through the weekend). She sent these with my brother earlier this week (she is at his house first). I know they get a bad rap, but I love them for taking the dog out/gardening. Also, when my feet were huge when I was pregnant, they were all that fit. I finally have a girly colored pair. It isn't like I wear them to the store. Just to drive my car to the Starbucks drive through.



Every other day, sometimes daily, I pick between two and four tender young summer squash off of my two plants. Monday night I picked tiny ones, swearing there was no way I would have any until Thursday. Tonight I picked four, including one larger one. Good thing they are great grilled and I like them in salads.



I've been eating some of the flowers, but mostly the nasturtium is good for being pretty. It is getting a big leggy, and I cut some of it back to make room for the peppers, but the flowers are unreal. So bright and cheerful.

We've had about eight peas off of the one larger plant I had, and as soon as the rest of them start flowering, I know I will have tons. Tonight M and I ate about 10 green beans right out of the garden. I am incredibly proud that I am teaching her where food comes from. I'm also more than a little tickled that she is like me and will just eat stuff right there, in the yard.

When my tomatoes ripen, I will be drowning in them the way I drown in summer squash right now. I can't wait. Neither can A. He has already requested that he get a tomato, salt, and pepper in his lunches every day when they become available. To go with the tomatoes I will have a peck of jalapenos. Two plants, tons of peppers. The first one was eaten last night. Fresh is always better.

Happy Father's Day A

I'll admit that I don't always give A a fair shake. I feel like I do more household chores, that I deal with more potty breaks, more dirty diapers, and dammit all, I breastfed. However, when it gets right down to it, A does a damn good job. He's there, he's involved, and he makes M (and me) a priority. He takes time off from work for sick days, he goes to all of the school conferences (something I don't remember my dad doing) and eventually, he'll brave a trip outside the house with M alone, I just know it. (It is OK, potty training in public scares me too)

He doesn't like cards, so I didn't get him one. When I told him M and I were doing an art project for him, he was moderately afraid it would involve paper towel rolls and macaroni. So I was happy when he liked what we had made. He's always had a thing for stepping stones, and this is something we can take with us, even if we don't stay in this house. M has a great way of saying who she loves, in the third person. M loves Mama. M loves Tess. M loves Papa, and so do I.

Happy Father's day A!

Two.

There is just something logical about having two kids. You know, replace yourself, but don't contribute to global overcrowding. An heir and a spare. A square family. I guess it just seemed like that was what would happen. Except, one is expensive, and our house is under water (mortgage wise), and we have other debts, and one daycare payment is already a large portion of what I make. So, we've decided to stop at one. We've been through all the scenarios given our current situation, and unless something major changes financially one is all we can do without stretching ourselves so thin that we would be miserable. I grew up with stretched parents, and it sucked.

And I'm sad about. More sad that I thought I would be. One should be enough right? People try so hard just to get one, I should be happy with one. She's awesome. But I'm sad. Tonight on my walk (3.3 miles in an hour), all I saw was families for four, or pregnant women.

It doesn't help that today I was supposed to see my OB. An appointment I looked forward to. My OB is one of the few doctors that I have really liked and gotten along with. I wanted to see her before I saw my endocrinologist next week. I wanted to talk to her about how despite regular exercise (still keeping up at least three days a week, sometimes more), and eating relatively decent, I am not losing weight. I feel like crap, tired all the time. I wanted to get her opinion before I dealt with the endocrinologist that I don't like. Except today she had to deliver a baby. Just another reminder. The only appointment I could get with her is two months out. N0 good for me to get her opinion.

Instead I made an appointment with an obesity and endocrinology clinic. It is kitty corner from me in the cities. Appointments will require taking half days off from work, if not full days. However, I want to be treated as a full patient, and that is what they specialize in. I don't want to be like this, but I don't know how to not be without at least some help. Diet and exercise the way I'm doing them are not working. I also want to talk to someone about pharmaceutical help for all of the stress I am going through. All this exercise should be helping my general mood, and that it isn't, means that it is time for me to ask for help.

Speaking of the exercise, I am still plugging along, even with taking a week off from riding bike. I am bummed about not losing weight, but I am gaining muscle. I can feel it, and it would be what usually happens to me. I sort of wish I wasn't, but I know it is a good sign. Muscle burns more calories than fat does. Still, I would feel a little better if my thighs weren't larger (and harder) instead of smaller.

Happy Birthday Little Sprout

M turned two today. It is an hour past her bedtime, and she is still talking away in her crib. It may have been the cupcake.

In an odd turn of events for a toddler, that cupcake scared the crap out of her, and she requested a smaller one.

We started off our morning with breakfast at the famous Mickey's Diner in St. Paul, an Easter tradition. After presents at home, and a nap that was too long (which may explain the STILL talking), it was her first little cupcake and a trip to the park.


We ended the day with Easter dinner (despite not really celebrating Easter at all) and the terrifying cupcake. It was a good day, a good weekend, and I'm glad that it is over.



*Well, not really over, we are going to the Zoo tomorrow.

Men's Size 13 Boots & Nearly 2 Year Old

Perhaps a sign of things to come. If I have larger feet for my height (she does as well), and she's going to be taller than I am...

The Apple & The Tree

There are things about M that surprise me, not for how different she seems from me, but how much the same she is. How much she is like her dad and I. Two of the biggest things that A and I have in common is a love for books and art/drawing.

I devoured books and had my parents going to the library regularly. A is responsible for us having a library worth of books in the house. The collection just keeps growing with the newest addition of PDF's of books. (less space, same obsession)

When he was a kid, A drew detailed pictures of his gaming characters, and wanted to be car designer. I went to PCAE for visual arts. I wanted to be a potter and art has gotten me through the darkest times in my life.

While we have read to M from early on, and she sees us with books, we haven't really gone out of our way to force books upon her. Despite a room full of toys from dolls to a kitchen that is better stocked than mine, she always goes for the books. Asking to sit and read, asking us to read something while she reads something else. She loves books.

As soon as crayons were OK to give her, we've been letting her draw occasionally. I've known that at daycare they do regular art projects and that she likes them too. At home we don't do as much as we would if I were home with her all the time, but every weekend at some point we get out a sketch pad and the crayons and let her have at it. This weekend in the order of dinosaur books from Amazon was also a Doodle Pro. She hasn't put it down since she got it. By tonight she had figured out how to control it better, and she was upset when we took it away at bedtime.

Her apple is very close to our trees.

Putting the contents of my fridge where my mouth is.

So Julie's posts and my own reaction to it made me take a good hard look at what we're feeding M (and ourselves). This weekend I started to go through my fridge and remove things that had HFCS, transfats, or higher cholesterol (recently updated physicals resulted in that being a slight concern for someone in the house).

I admit that while I may have written about making my own meatballs, I haven't been very good about sticking to my guns on the whole food thing lately. We are eating out less, but some of that eating out has been replaced by convenience foods. Especially since I'm not home for dinner much these days because of work.

The first thing I found that had to go was barbecue sauce. The first ingredient in nearly every brand (including local brand Famous Dave's) is HFCS. That part sort of shocked me. Since M is your average toddler, we've used "sauce" to help encourage her to eat her meat more than once (less of an issue with veggies). "Sauce" includes dressing, mustard, the sauce from some other food, and barbecue sauce. Yeah, not any more. I couldn't find anything acceptable at the store. So I went looking a ketchup. A tangy tomato option as well. You'll be happy to know that this Regan "vegetable" is full of the stuff too. The exception being Heinz organic and a couple of other organic/natural brands. I got the organic stuff for now.

Also on the list (and now in the garbage), light salad dressing. I bought it for a recipe and haven't used it since, so I have no problem tossing it. Not so easy to get rid of, the yogurt that A takes to work every day. I'm leaving that one up to him to deal with, since just getting him to find an option for breakfast was hard enough. M doesn't get near the stuff, she gets the low sugar kids stuff when she does have yogurt. However, I know that a number of other "kids" yogurts are well known for their content of lots of bad things, including HFCS.

So, that is my start. I should have done this ages ago. It will help with my quest to lose weight and hopefully about Type 2 diabetes. Now I just need to start on M's school....

A daycare quandry

Yesterday M missed daycare because of the "eye", and we missed out on seeing one of her teachers for the last time. It would seem that the lead teacher in her room quit last Friday with no notice.

Which would lead me to believe she was fired. Except that she was back yesterday to say goodbye to the kids. Which you know, we missed of course.

So now I am a bit stuck about what to do. You see, I have her email address. She sent us pictures of M playing last fall. Something I gave her my email address so she could do, so it isn't like I got it off Facebook or anything.

Do I email her? Do I ask what happened? Do I offer a reference? (we totally loved her) Do I leave it alone?

I wouldn't mind knowing if they canned her, seeing as I care if there were issues with either her or with the daycare. However, everything I have heard would lead me to believe she actually quit. You would think in cases of a firing you would want your parents to know that if there was an issue with was swiftly dealt with, right? Not have them whispering about what happened. Or if there was an issue with how they treat their staff, you would want to know.

This is the first inkling of anything amiss at this daycare, but it has left me slightly uneasy. Something that hit especially hard today. For the first time since she wouldn't latch as a newborn and got jaundice, I felt like a parenting failure. Thanks of course to having to yell at M multiple times this morning to keep her from hurling herself down stairs, running into traffic, squirming out of my arms and on to pavement, trying to put pink eye drops in her eyes, etc.

So, email? No?

The days are getting longer, right?

Sorry for the delay in being here, I've been busy dealing with a toddler who is getting her teeth (two year molars) and having another growth spurt (Yay, 3T pants?), and finding an old love again in knitting. I used to be a knitting machine, but I haven't felt like I've had the time. However, it is winter, and I find that there is therapy in knitting. Something I need since there is so little sun this time of year. It helps me focus (and keeps me from drowning my sorrows in chocolate).

I've also been working on my usual winter cleaning and organizing spree. It is my version of cabin fever. It helps accommodate any new things we received for the holidays, and feel like there is something fresh in our lives when everything outside is dead.

We've already taken care of getting M's new toys in her room. We anticipated that a little and added more storage to the basement to clean out things she had outgrown. The next project is my bookcase in the office.

So, next weekend I think I will be off to Ikea, after I survive this week. M may have an ear infection, pink eye, or just a really bad cold and those darn teeth. Drat!

Christmas Redux

I survived! Hot damn yeah! Here is a little summary of how things went:

This year was likely the best year I've spent with my in-laws since A and I started dating. For so many reasons, it worked out great. M handled transitions, and lots of new people like a pro. She danced around the kitchen with her Nana and cousin, and people barely caught on to just how tired and cranky she was. (we can tell thankfully and left right before it got ugly) I know there were some issues (the least of which was me turning crazy right before we left because it was not happening fast enough) but overall it was great. I hope they think so too.

M loved her presents. She got two babies, (one from A's cousins that was unexpected and perfect) and she now will not lay down without at least one of them. She also got some great accessories for them including a baby stroller from my mom (which tears around the house regularly now. sometimes even with a baby in it) and clothes and a diaper bag sewn by one of my MIL's friends. Other highlights are her kitchen (with seriously all of the stuff to go with it), more Lego's, and a super awesome pink tutu that was made by my SIL at the direction of M's cousin who requested it for her, and picked out the color.

I got pretty much books and music for Christmas, which was just what I wanted. They are things I have a hard time buying for myself, and I save up all of my desires for the holidays. The music has all been imported, and my iPod synced. I just need to finish the cleaning and reorganizing (to fit all of M's new toys in) and I will have time to read.

My brother loved his new Shuffle and having him here is great. We've taught M to say "uncle" and she's really warmed up to him. She even ran to give him a hug last night.

Last night we had beef stuffed with blue cheese and walnuts, tonight is the hottest green chili in the west. It is also a good year for food. We even got some seriously swanky eggnog that I am practicing restraint with. I will not drink the whole half gallon.... I will not drink the whole half gallon...

Whew! Now that that is done.

Well, the grandparents pictures are done, and not a moment too soon. Saying we survived would be an understatement. The good news is, we have good pictures. Pretty sure that while we didn't get either girl's best look ever (together at least), we got pictures that I will have no problem with being blown up to an 8x10.

My fears were realized to a point. M doesn't know her cousin really, and so she didn't want to stand next to her and have her picture taken. She can be a bit of a ham, but rarely on cue. We used bribes, silly faces, chairs (she loves to sit) and a pretzel in a box. It was hard work, but we did it.

We've learned lessons for next year including that SIL and I need to shop for outfits together to prevent any conflicts (and next year there will be three to coordinate, so it will be that much more important). We also learned that it is worth it for me to take time off from work so we can do it on a week day. If we had less pressure because they were already late, we could have spent more time working on getting them warmed up. The biggest lesson is that while I work two jobs, and SIL is a busy business owner and work at home mom, we need to make sure the girls see more of each other. M is likely going to be an only child, so her knowing her cousin is important to me and I haven't been doing a good job at making sure that happens.

Now to find the perfect frame for the pictures, and birthday & Christmas gifts for my niece. It really is less than three weeks until Christmas isn't it?

OMG! Have you heard I have a girl!

My has one cousin, on her dad's side, 16 months older than her. She is M's opposite. M has brown eyes, brown hair that will likely only get darker. Her cousin, R, has white blond hair and stunning blue eyes. M is pale, R is even more pale.

To make my MIL happy last year we got pictures of them together. This year we're doing it again, this coming Sunday. With everyone trying to get less for the holidays, some professional pictures of the girls together will be the perfect gift.

It takes a little work, and a little wardrobe coordination, but we got it all planned out. So far my only two fears are that since M hasn't seen R in awhile that she might all of a sudden get shy and just what to do with M's baby mullet.

So tonight, just for fun, we tried out some pigtails. It was like someone all of a sudden made my baby into a little girl. There is a slight issue with evenness when trying to work with such fine hair. I think it is going to require more practice. Good news is, she likes them. Especially when I put in a matching set myself.