I had a scary moment at the doctor today. Embarrassing and chilling.
It was a challenging appointment from the start. As I filled out forms and confirmed my insurance, Q asked questions about everything around him and R grabbed at things on the desk. In the exam room, Q was shy and nervous, and R was tired and fussy. I juggled the boys as they were weighed and measured, examined and probed.
Then it was time for the horrible shots. Three nurses surrounded Q, held him tightly, and stabbed him with one vaccine in each arm simultaneously. The poor guy had such fear in his eyes as he looked up at me. I told him it was medicine to prevent him from getting really sick. When the pain hit, his bottom lip trembled and his face crumpled, but he didn't cry. Such a brave little man.
R had three shots in his legs. He cried heartily but got over it quickly. They were deemed healthy and happy, collected their hard-earned stickers, and we went off to check out.
That's when it happened. I put R down momentarily as I wrote a check for the co-pay. He crawled around a bit crossing the mat that activated the automatic door. And then suddenly he was on the move, speeding toward the door. Before I could react, the door started moving and closed on his head! It immediately reopened, and I sprinted over faster than I knew I could move, but he was crying and rubbing his head. Nurses gasped. It was awful.
I felt like a horrible mother. He was OK of course, but I felt bad for looking away even for a moment. I had the fleeting thought of the door not popping back open. Of it closing, injuring him terribly....or worse. I felt sick and fearful.
I don't think I'll ever look away again.
--MM
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Good eats
This weekend I did a lot of baking and cooking. Some recipes were home runs while others were OK, but won't be going into the rotation of regulars.
Earlier this week I made brownies cocakaigne (recipe follows). They were easy and gooey. I ate most of them myself. I love brownies.
Saturday night we made these chocolate cookies from Martha Stewart's daughter. They are very tasty but alarmingly flat. They aren't a pretty cookie. But, again they taste divine. I'd only make these again if I adjusted the recipe a bit to make them not quite so flat and crisp.
Sunday morning we had Sticky Buns. I am a sucker for a sticky bun. These weren't quite as good as my mom's, but they aren't bad for a quick, indulgent treat.
Sunday evening, we grilled out, Modern Mama style. I marinated tofu cut into large chunks in soy sauce, honey, ginger, and garlic. The tofu went on the grill along with yellow squash and zucchini and pineapple. I served it over long grain and wild rice with a sprinkle of fresh mint. Very tasty and good with a nice crisp white wine.
Thankfully the weekend ended on a healthy note, but the rest of it was sinful. I've been putting in some serious time on the treadmill to make amends.
Brownies Cockaigne
source: Joy of Cooking, 75th anniversary edition
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate
4 eggs, room temperature
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler and then cool mixture *If you don't cool the mixture, your brownies will be heavy and dry.
Beat eggs and salt until light in color and foamy in texture and gradually add sugar and vanilla. Continue beating until well-creamed.
With a few swift strokes, combine the cooled chocolate mixture into the eggs and sugar. *Even if you normally use an electric mixer, do this manually. Before the mixture becomes uniformly colored, fold in the flour, again by hand. Before the flour is uniformly colored, stir the nuts in gently. Bake in a greased 9x13 pan for about 25 minutes. Cut when cool.
--MM
Earlier this week I made brownies cocakaigne (recipe follows). They were easy and gooey. I ate most of them myself. I love brownies.
Saturday night we made these chocolate cookies from Martha Stewart's daughter. They are very tasty but alarmingly flat. They aren't a pretty cookie. But, again they taste divine. I'd only make these again if I adjusted the recipe a bit to make them not quite so flat and crisp.
Sunday morning we had Sticky Buns. I am a sucker for a sticky bun. These weren't quite as good as my mom's, but they aren't bad for a quick, indulgent treat.
Sunday evening, we grilled out, Modern Mama style. I marinated tofu cut into large chunks in soy sauce, honey, ginger, and garlic. The tofu went on the grill along with yellow squash and zucchini and pineapple. I served it over long grain and wild rice with a sprinkle of fresh mint. Very tasty and good with a nice crisp white wine.
Thankfully the weekend ended on a healthy note, but the rest of it was sinful. I've been putting in some serious time on the treadmill to make amends.
Brownies Cockaigne
source: Joy of Cooking, 75th anniversary edition
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate
4 eggs, room temperature
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler and then cool mixture *If you don't cool the mixture, your brownies will be heavy and dry.
Beat eggs and salt until light in color and foamy in texture and gradually add sugar and vanilla. Continue beating until well-creamed.
With a few swift strokes, combine the cooled chocolate mixture into the eggs and sugar. *Even if you normally use an electric mixer, do this manually. Before the mixture becomes uniformly colored, fold in the flour, again by hand. Before the flour is uniformly colored, stir the nuts in gently. Bake in a greased 9x13 pan for about 25 minutes. Cut when cool.
--MM
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Swimming pools, traffic jams, and library cards
Q again refused to go in the pool at swimming lessons this week. He stands on the deck and occasionally dips a toe in the water. T asked the Y to refund our money, and they agreed to give us a credit for future lessons when hopefully he will join his class.
T had today off from work, and so we went to a city water park. Q made some major progress and went into the water all the way up to his waist. We're getting there.
--------------
I went to my first book club meeting this week. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am already diving into the next book The Forest Lover. We took the boys to story time tonight and Q and R got their own library cards. They even picked out four books and read them tonight at bedtime. I love a good library.
--------------
I subbed two evening exercise classes this week. It was a new class for me, so I left extra early to account for traffic and to make sure I was prepared. I was a few miles into the trip when I hit a wall of traffic. I wondered is this just normal rush hour over here? It looked like Los Angeles.
I spent a half hour going a few miles and watching the time tick by. I chewed my fingernails and worried. Finally, I saw construction cones up ahead and wondered why the hell they decided to go road work in the middle of rush hour? It turned out that the intense heat of the day buckled the highway forcing emergency repairs and closing two lanes. What a nightmare.
I finally got on my way and arrived three minutes late (I would have been 25 minutes early). I was flustered and frustrated. I felt like I looked bad even though it was entirely out of my hands.
I taught the class again this evening and the weather was scorching again. I left my house even earlier and worried about exploding pavement the entire way. But lightning didn't strike twice, and I arrived obscenely early.
--MM
T had today off from work, and so we went to a city water park. Q made some major progress and went into the water all the way up to his waist. We're getting there.
--------------
I went to my first book club meeting this week. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am already diving into the next book The Forest Lover. We took the boys to story time tonight and Q and R got their own library cards. They even picked out four books and read them tonight at bedtime. I love a good library.
--------------
I subbed two evening exercise classes this week. It was a new class for me, so I left extra early to account for traffic and to make sure I was prepared. I was a few miles into the trip when I hit a wall of traffic. I wondered is this just normal rush hour over here? It looked like Los Angeles.
I spent a half hour going a few miles and watching the time tick by. I chewed my fingernails and worried. Finally, I saw construction cones up ahead and wondered why the hell they decided to go road work in the middle of rush hour? It turned out that the intense heat of the day buckled the highway forcing emergency repairs and closing two lanes. What a nightmare.
I finally got on my way and arrived three minutes late (I would have been 25 minutes early). I was flustered and frustrated. I felt like I looked bad even though it was entirely out of my hands.
I taught the class again this evening and the weather was scorching again. I left my house even earlier and worried about exploding pavement the entire way. But lightning didn't strike twice, and I arrived obscenely early.
--MM
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Melting.....
It's hot. It's over 90 degrees and humid. Not fun. Complicating the problem: the air circulation in our townhouse sucks. Right now the downstairs is ice cold and the third floor playroom is sweltering. I happen to be there right now, typing as the kids play and watch PBS. It's got to be 85 up here.
T invested in some fans last week. We put one in the window of the boys' room and also put an oscillating fan in there. Our room is fairly comfortable thankfully. The boys are fascinated by the fans and think they are positioned more for their amusement than for an actual need. So, the fans are going constantly, and the air conditioner is humming along at high speed. It's going to be an expensive electric bill.
-----------------
A good high school friend visited this weekend for the night. We had a few drinks at home, a few at the restaurant, and a couple at the bar we went to afterward. I do that about once every year or two. And then I am reminded why I avoid it.
--MM
T invested in some fans last week. We put one in the window of the boys' room and also put an oscillating fan in there. Our room is fairly comfortable thankfully. The boys are fascinated by the fans and think they are positioned more for their amusement than for an actual need. So, the fans are going constantly, and the air conditioner is humming along at high speed. It's going to be an expensive electric bill.
-----------------
A good high school friend visited this weekend for the night. We had a few drinks at home, a few at the restaurant, and a couple at the bar we went to afterward. I do that about once every year or two. And then I am reminded why I avoid it.
--MM
Friday, June 19, 2009
Cutting back
Our lifestyle has changed with our move across the country. Now one salary (and my extremely meager earnings) support us. We still have a mortgage plus our monthly rent, not to mention T's college loans, a car payment and two kids. We are doing fine and consider ourselves lucky to be doing as well as we are compared to what some people are dealing with right now, but I am still trying to cut back in some areas. I used to get (at least) one Starbucks a day at $3 - $4 a pop. We often got lunch out and I got manicures every other week and pedicures once a month. I have made the painful decision to do my own nails, and to cut out most of that coffee. We find many of the Midwest baristas pale in comparison to the Northwest pros, so it is not too much of a loss. I still will have to splurge on a mani/pedi once in awhile, but it felt very extravagant to keep up that habit.
Another indulgence that has gone by the wayside is a housekeeper. When T and I worked different shifts, and he went to school on Saturdays, it made sense to hire someone to clean our home. Now of course, I am home a majority of the time and am tasked with keeping the house clean. I miss her though. You can't beat the feeling of coming home to a spotlessly clean home through no effort of your own. Incidentally, I think our home is actually cleaner now. Our housekeeper came once every two weeks. So besides picking up the clutter, T and I just didn't clean. With two kids and a menagerie of pets, two weeks can be a long time between deep cleanings. Now, I tend to clean here and there every week. Since I am in this house so much, I can't stand for it to be dirty. It's never going to be a chore I like, but I can handle it.
I still like to splurge from time to time on clothes and shoes and getting my hair done, but I am reining it in. Sometimes responsibility sucks. But I do get a little burst of pride when I realize I didn't spend a dime all day.
--------------------
I just finished a very intriguing book. It was the selection for the book club at our local library. I am going to start going to those monthly meetings. The selection for June is The Life of Pi. It took awhile to get into and was an odd and quirky read but was very satisfying at the finish.
--MM
Another indulgence that has gone by the wayside is a housekeeper. When T and I worked different shifts, and he went to school on Saturdays, it made sense to hire someone to clean our home. Now of course, I am home a majority of the time and am tasked with keeping the house clean. I miss her though. You can't beat the feeling of coming home to a spotlessly clean home through no effort of your own. Incidentally, I think our home is actually cleaner now. Our housekeeper came once every two weeks. So besides picking up the clutter, T and I just didn't clean. With two kids and a menagerie of pets, two weeks can be a long time between deep cleanings. Now, I tend to clean here and there every week. Since I am in this house so much, I can't stand for it to be dirty. It's never going to be a chore I like, but I can handle it.
I still like to splurge from time to time on clothes and shoes and getting my hair done, but I am reining it in. Sometimes responsibility sucks. But I do get a little burst of pride when I realize I didn't spend a dime all day.
--------------------
I just finished a very intriguing book. It was the selection for the book club at our local library. I am going to start going to those monthly meetings. The selection for June is The Life of Pi. It took awhile to get into and was an odd and quirky read but was very satisfying at the finish.
--MM
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Pollen pain
I have an allergy conundrum. My allergies lately are driving me absolutely insane. The horrible itching eyes that make me want to scratch my eyes out, the constant sneezing, the runny nose, the scratchy throat! Ick! I have found Zyrtec (the generic kind) works pretty well to kick my symptoms (better than Claritin), but it makes me feel a little like a zombie. I feel like I am moving in slow motion and am desperate for a nap. It dulls me. So I am not sure which way to go. Today my eyes were red and my sneezes continuous, so I had to give in and swallow a Zyrtec. Like clockwork, it made me super drowsy but after a nap, I was back on my feet. Still with that hazy, blah feeling though. What to do? It's an annoying situation.
I didn't always have allergies. I am one of the lucky people who developed them later in life. I started sneezing and rubbing my eyes in Oregon. I thought maybe I was just more sensitive to the highly allergic region. I lived in a valley, and pollen and particulates were often trapped in the air. I hoped I would leave my allergies behind when I relocated, but no. They packed their bags and came with me. Now they seem to be worse than ever. I find myself just digging at my tear ducts because they are so itchy and irritated. It is very frustrating.
I want to yank all my flowers out of their pots and enclose myself in a plastic bubble.
--MM
I didn't always have allergies. I am one of the lucky people who developed them later in life. I started sneezing and rubbing my eyes in Oregon. I thought maybe I was just more sensitive to the highly allergic region. I lived in a valley, and pollen and particulates were often trapped in the air. I hoped I would leave my allergies behind when I relocated, but no. They packed their bags and came with me. Now they seem to be worse than ever. I find myself just digging at my tear ducts because they are so itchy and irritated. It is very frustrating.
I want to yank all my flowers out of their pots and enclose myself in a plastic bubble.
--MM
Monday, June 15, 2009
Swimming with the fishes
I have been swimming almost all my life. I started taking lessons when I was just a tot and quickly took to it. I was soon swimming the length of the pool and holding my breath underwater. My mom had to talk the swimming supervisors into passing me into the advanced class before I was in kindergarten. I really want to give my kids the same experience. I'm just not sure they have the same idea.
We put Q in swim lessons as soon as he was eligible at six months of age. That mostly involved me floating him around and him looking around confusedly. After several sessions, Q was moving rapidly through the levels and comfortably splashing in the pool.
Then we made the mistake of not enrolling him for a year and a half. Pregnancy, a new baby, and moving got in the way. Tonight we took both boys for lessons. It didn't go very well.
R was extremely comfortable and was a natural in the water. Q stood on the deck and screamed in terror every time we tried to coax him in. R laughed in delight, kicked his feet, and even slid down the slide. Q clung to my neck if I tried to so much as dip his toe in the water. T and I didn't know if we should force him in the water to convince him it was OK, or just let him sit it out and venture in at his own pace.
I signed us up for evening classes, so we could go together as a family, and so I wouldn't have to wrangle two wild, naked boys in the locker room. I packed two bags and T and I split up after the lessons to wash the boys and get them in their pajamas. T tells me Q enjoyed the soap pump and the wall-mounted blow dryers. R was extremely slippery and made several escape attempts.
Now, one week of swim lessons is in the books. I hope subsequent weeks are more successful. A word of advice: start your kids early in swim lessons and don't take any long breaks!
--MM
We put Q in swim lessons as soon as he was eligible at six months of age. That mostly involved me floating him around and him looking around confusedly. After several sessions, Q was moving rapidly through the levels and comfortably splashing in the pool.
Then we made the mistake of not enrolling him for a year and a half. Pregnancy, a new baby, and moving got in the way. Tonight we took both boys for lessons. It didn't go very well.
R was extremely comfortable and was a natural in the water. Q stood on the deck and screamed in terror every time we tried to coax him in. R laughed in delight, kicked his feet, and even slid down the slide. Q clung to my neck if I tried to so much as dip his toe in the water. T and I didn't know if we should force him in the water to convince him it was OK, or just let him sit it out and venture in at his own pace.
I signed us up for evening classes, so we could go together as a family, and so I wouldn't have to wrangle two wild, naked boys in the locker room. I packed two bags and T and I split up after the lessons to wash the boys and get them in their pajamas. T tells me Q enjoyed the soap pump and the wall-mounted blow dryers. R was extremely slippery and made several escape attempts.
Now, one week of swim lessons is in the books. I hope subsequent weeks are more successful. A word of advice: start your kids early in swim lessons and don't take any long breaks!
--MM
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