Peek into my world.

Tonight was a perfect night. I was in the Mommy Zone. You know, that place you get to when you realize that every little decision you make works out PERFECTLY!   One of the most obnoxious parts of my nights is the Witching Hour. During the time period between 5:00 and 6:30 (yes, the Witching Hour is 90 minutes) the following events occur in any order - and at times simultaneously:  Nurse the baby, entertain the toddler, feed the toddler a snack, feed the toddler dinner, cook dinner, clean up school bags (them and me).

First thing I did right: Plan ahead kiddie snacks. I invested in some snack size baggies and filled them with healthy snack options. I put some in the fridge filled with baby carrots, sliced cucumbers and peppers, and sliced pears. (All separated out, so he could pick his favorite) And I stuck them on the slide out tray that's right at his height. I also put some mini Nilla wafers, veggie stix, and boxed Raisins in a Cade basket in the pantry. And the best idea yet (thanks Pinterest!): frozen grapes in baggies in the freezer. (Ours is a slide out drawer on the bottom of our fridge, so Cade has easy access.)

Success #2: I turned off the tv and made Cadester hang out in the kitchen with me while I cooked. He picked his snack/appetizer (frozen grapes) and made artwork with dot markers and glittery foam stars.

Devyn (my 6 month old) hung out in her walker car with teethers. She loved watching her big brother so much, we ended up popping her on the table in her Bumbo chair to get a better view.

Mommy's cooking dinner, the kids are hanging out together.

She would laugh and him and drop her toy, he would help her out in between coloring. He loved singing to her and talking with me. I had on 103.7 Delilah and we danced to love songs in between my cooking breaks.

My next success: I found a fabulous recipe on Allrecipes.com for Honey Mustard Chicken. The app on iPad is amazing.  If you aren't familiar, you must read the user comments. Thank God I did because they recommended using MUCH less butter (still tasted great) and suggested using breadcrumbs.  If I can break out my Panko, I'm excited. My chicken was delish. Served up with a side of microwaved sweet potatoes and broccoli.  It was so fab! I don't know about you, but I feel like freaking super mom when I try a new recipe or bust out a tasty din din.

As it was baking, Cade put the finishing touches on his artwork. (I ever so gently held his hand as he wrote "Cade" in that top right corner. I never know how much I am guiding. Like a Ouija board, is the magic within or was I just cheating? I'm not sure.) He decided Daddy needed this masterpiece. Mommy is jealous. Time to remind him about my episiotomy? I guess not.

WTF, Uptown Mommies?!

I have been holding onto this rant for awhile. Partly because at first I thought I was missing out on something, and maybe the issue was with me. Then my better sense kicked in and I said to myself (and now you) WTF is going on with Uptown Mommies?!

The girls I am talking about are the stiletto strutting mommas who go out at 9:00pm wearing their size zero mini dresses.  They get out of their Escalades, then patiently pose on the curb as their hubs (also hot) reach back into the car and bring out their infants. Wait--- what!?! I am 100% in support of Momma's Night Out and Date Night. I just don't get the baby for late night dinner and drinks (I have seen this happen on a few occasions in West Village). Could it be that I am truly missing out on something good here?

Let's over-analyze the sitch:
1. They have no sitter.
Bunk! I spy you rocking those Marc Jacob bags and Manolos. You clearly can afford not one, but two nannies. That can't possibly the reason. (unless is Nanny's Night Out. Hm. Scandal!)

2. They think this a new trend.
No! We are NOT replacing purse dogs with babies. I don't care if you, hubs, and baby are all wearing color coordinated outfits. (Confesh, I SO coordinate whenevs I can. Trickier with two kids, but I digress.) Maybe they were attention whores and wanted to have the night crowd gush over little Sophia Lynne. I don't know about them, but I have to beat off the baby paparazzi during the day. Maybe they wanted a different type of attention. The "But you're too skinny and hot to have a baby!" I wouldn't know what that kind of attention is like. Maybe it's addictive?

3. Their babies will just sleep through everything anyways and they have a nanny back home who let Momma and Dads sleep in the next morning while the kids are attended to.
Ohhhhh. Got it. Only took me 3 tries but this MUST be what's happening here.

I wonder about the logistics of their night. I would never wear stilettos if I knew I was bringing my baby anywhere with me. Carrying that heavy infant carrier or even my heavy infant would totally throw off my balance. It would be very unglam. Then there is the issue of their mini dresses. Maybe there was a nursing bra underneath, but how were they going to pull that off? They weren't. (I'm so not a nursing nazi, but I will take some liberties in feeling superior... It makes me feel better after the 2 minutes I spend each day gazing at all the pretty little underwire bras laying in the lingerie drawer unused. And lonely.)  Did I mention that it's very tricky to find a trendy going out outfit that you can rock the nursing bra with? Or at least some substantial supporters for the Momma Guns. I've made the tragically painful mistake of wearing my strapless out one night. I was not about to let a little underwire get in the way of me rocking that cute little size 6! Fast forward 4 hours later... I had filled up so much that I was practically popping out of said dress. Ice would have ditched CoCo if he had seen these girls.  So the bra. The bra alone makes me wonder how and why they got out of the house with the newborns. 

Another issue was how did these girls get their hubs to agree to this? It was a group dinner situation. Two couples brought their babies, the other were without children. The men in the situation were the ones carrying the diapers and Chanel diaper bags. No way would that go down in my house. (The Chanel bag. I'm certain hubs can handle "babysitting" when it involves me nursing the baby to sleep then making a mad dash out for a few hours with the girls. He would MUCH prefer that to dealing with a baby in the crowd of Hot Little Urban Yuppies.)

I just don't know what to think about this sitch. I am all for bringing baby with me where I go. But after hours? How is that a relaxing night out for you? How is the baby getting good rest? Tell me your newborn can only sleep to clubby music, and the lights are dimmed anywhere you go at that hour anyways. Even more intriguing to me is did these mommies take their babies out to the next hotspot? What did they do next-- Karaoke? Bar hop?

I couldn't stick around to stalk these McCrazies. I had to go home by midnight so I could be alive enough to be a good momma the next day. Ain't no hangover like a sleepy mommy with energetic toddler and demanding little newborn.  It's second in misery to the time I thought I was a bartender freshman year and made Long Islands at that house party. So like a good Momma I had to go home by midnight to get my rest and pump (Cinderella's curfew. My boobs might have turned into pumpkins had I stayed out another hour longer.)

What do you think? Babies out on the town past 9pm. Do we like this?

6 months old!

 

Oh my sweet sweet baby girl.
Where do I begin?
I love getting to know you.
I love when I walk into your room in the morning and you are quietly laying there looking around.
As if you are planning what to do with your day.
Just like me.
I love seeing you see Cade for the first time each day.
You are transfixed by your big brother.
The natural love that you have for him is limitless.
When you reach for him and he holds your hand I get so excited about the potential fun and trouble you two will get into one day.
I love it when your Daddy holds you.
You nuzzle into his chest and feel so secure.
And when I rock you to sleep is my favorite part of the day.
I can count on that special moment every day.
You smiling up at me.
Wrapping your hands around each of my pointer fingers and pulling my hands over your chest.
Just two hearts beating together.

I love you!
Mommy

Green Bean fabulosity!

This is my second attempt at being wannabe foodie blogger. Maybe one day I will have more than eight fabulous recipes to share! (You read that right kids, I have 4 more bad boys tucked away for a rainy day to share with you!) This recipe is adapted from one a coworker adapted from Martha Stewart about six years ago.  I debuted this recipe at my first Thanksgiving as a married woman hosting at my own house. 

You will need:
- Fresh green beans (feel free to cheat and buy the steam in bag fresh ones in the produce section)
- 1 white onion or several shallots
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup slived or sliced almonds
- 3 tbs orange juice (or Tropical Mangosteen if you're fancy like that)
- Olive oil
- 4 tbs balsamic vinegar (or more, if you're obsessed with the flavor, like me!)

1. Wash and prep your green beans. Snip the tips off with kitchen shears. Try to have your two year old help you. Don't worry if he snaps the beans in half. Just make sure you are faster than he is so less beans end up wonky.

2.  Steam your green beans. Use a steamer or steaming basket on your pot.  Okay fine, just boil them if you want. It truly doesn't matter as long as you don't overcook them.  Let the beans get a nice pretty green color. Fork tender with a little crispness.

At this point your baby girl might be hungry. Give her a sock.

3. Slice your onion or shallots very thin. Or chop them into pieces. Depends how obvious you want those onions to look.  I used chopped onions that I had frozen leftover from Thanksgiving. Shallots are tasty. If you want to get frisky you can fry some up before you do anything else and use as another topper.

4. Sautee the onions in some olive oil until translucent. Add your basalmic vinegar and juice. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.  Stir in your green beans, almonds and cranberries.  Coat them well and cook until the beans are thoroughly reheated.

I served mine with teriyaki flank steak (I heart Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki!) that I grilled up on my George Foreman.  Also served with a corn casserole I found on AllRecipes.com.  Super delish.

Now I  need a little advice. How do you train your toddler to stay seated at the dinner table? At daycare their little chairs have seatbelts.  I don't want to do that at home.  Maybe a cool booster seat will make him feel cool enough to stay seated?  I do food bribe him with the prospect of dessert if he eats his healthy meal first. We also bribe with  "Big Bubbles Bath", one of his favorite things as long as you don't wash his hair.

He just loves to get up and be a little man. He will literally hold up one finger and say, "Be wite back. I go check somefing." And then he will go check a toy and come back. Last week he said, "Be wite back Mommy. I go check somefing." And I sat there and watched my two year old go pick up his Handy Manner screwdriver (Felipe, the Phillip's head) and bring it to the chair leg I just banged my knee on and "fix it" by turning the screwdriver on the wood and saying, "Kurn kurn kurn. Kurn kurn kurn. Okay, there go!" And then returning the tool to his toy box and then. finally. coming back to sit down at the table. And then pretend to bite me. And say "Chomp chomp. Crocodino coming!!"

Nights like that I get so exhausted. I've cooked dinner while nursing Devyn (don't ask). Then plated it up. Then gotten sad that hubs' job kept him late. AGAIN. Then set the table for Cadester and I and put Devyn in a bouncer/exersaucer/Bumbo and ate and bribed Cade. Then he plays. And it's annoying. And it's cute. And I alternate between eating my own food, sighing, reminding him to eat, sighing, laughing at his little antics.  It's exhausting.  But so awesome.  Nobody has to give me a paycheck or pat me on the back.  I feel awesome when I cook at home. It feels good to have a pretty and totally f'ing yummy meal on the table. It sucks when the kid won't eat. But it's worth the effort. Even if it means that after a full day at work I come home, feed the kids, bathe them, bathe myself, and then don't get to sit down or relax until 9pm.

Now it's 9:45pm and I have shot my resolution to be in bed by 9:30. Gotta go prep my coffee to brew at 5:00am on automatic so I actually have a reason to get out of my king sized dreamland tomorrow.

Night bloggies.

p.s. If you know someone who can redesign my blog without costing a fortune I need some good referrals! I want my blog to be all themed out like baby girl's nursery.

Mamanoia

Mamanoia. Like paranoia. But strictly for mamas. Starts the second you decide to start trying for a baby. It's a crazy mix of anxiety disorder with OCD with Tourette's with BiPolar (or maybe PentaPolar, mamas def have more than 2 Polaris that we swing between). Still confused? Okay, here goes.

Are we really ready for a baby? Okay, so like go off the pill NOW or next week? Am I ovulating? Wtf is CM? How many days late am I? Oh, I'm not late? Is that a period or implantation? Hm, what's better EPT or First Response? Is this how you use an EPT? Is that two lines? Does a faded half line count? What do you mean "internal sonogram"? Are hot dogs safe? How about highlights? Do gender predictor tests work? How do you calculate lunar age? So I have to drink this orange drink? Ew gross? Why am I doing this? Please let it be a girl, what if it's another boy? Will I be a bad mom if I cry? Will my baby know if I am sad? If it's another boy can he at least be gay so we can shop and get pedis and watch rom com? It's a girl! Oh shit. What if she isn't cute? Does God hate me for thinking that? Will she be so ugly now? What if baby #1 hates the baby? What if we get in a car wreck? In a river and we are sinking and I only have to choose one kid to save? Oh shit. Should I just have had one baby so I never have to choose? Wait I have to deliver another baby? Will it be harder or easier? Wait what's this epidural agreement? I have to agree that I understand that I could be paralyzed and die if the epidural goes wrong? Did I agree to that last time? Yeah, that last time when I felt EVERYTHING?! Is hubs REALLY f'ing stopping for a Red Bull on our way to the hospital making us late for the induction? Can I kill him now? Oh shit. We have to deliver this baby now? Can I make the nurses let me eat a burger? Why won't they let me eat now? So is jello okay? Where's my nurse? Can I eat jello? Hello?! Will I hurt my baby if I eat Jello???!! She's crowning? I can't believe it! She is here? Ohmygod what's her f'ing Apgar? Six week haze of no sleep and bliss....Why does she need more vaccines? Why is her head flattish? Will she need a helmet too? Can I get a discount this time? How would I decorate it? Wait-- she doesn't need a helmet? Are you sure? She is how big? That's good right? Oh. 95th percentile for weight? Oh. Shit. Is that my fault? Do I have to give up chicken tenders and ranch? When do I need to start brushing her gums? When did I last give the dog a bath? When did I last bathe? Will anyone notice my hair is kinda gross? Why does daycare put on diaper cream like that? Is that diaper cream? Do babies get CM? ??


I am beat.
Mamanoia is so hard to escape.
The crazier the momma the more she loves her baby...right?
Or the more the mama says "F it!" to all of the above, the better momma she is. Right?

I have gotten better about just saying to myself "I'll figure it out later" and then enjoying my life. One minute worrying is okay. Twenty minutes obsessing is a waste. Way better to count my blessings and snuggle with my littles and thank God that today our future together is as long as I can imagine. Kiss them all over before they get big and won't let me. Whisper affirmations into their sleeping ears and breathing in their warm snugly baby breath.

If that fails, grab a Diet Dr. Pepper and some Cheetos and Oreos. Double stuf. (editor note: thank God I caught that just now. Autocorrect just changed Cheetos to "machetes"!)

Looking for love?

Hi bloggies! I just discovered the website and mobile app, bloglovin'. It allows users to tag their favorite blogs and get updates on when there are new posts to read. If you are a commuter, busy mom, or just don't have time for books then blogs are a great thing to check out. (thanks for starting here!)

My genres of blogs are mommy lifestyle, humor, teacher, food and health, and fashion. There are endless inspiring people out there sharing their life stories, starting new businesses, connecting to each other and doing some amazing things through social networking. My eyes have been totally opened to the powerful world in the "blogosphere". I love the idea that people share stories so funny and meaningful and can totally make other people's days. If you are just getting into the whole blog thing, Bloglovin' is one way to discover blogs, a Pinterest search is another great way.

If you read my blog and like it, it would mean the world to me if you join my site by Google friend connect or through Bloglovin'. If you see a post you like, feel free to share the link on Facebook or Google+. I write this blog to keep in touch with friends, connect to other moms, hopefully inspire others in some way, but mostly to serve as an online diary for my children. I tried to journal but find that my juices flow much more through digital means. I wish I could scrapbook but the time is so limited and the stickers and paper to pricey to try to use with little ones running around.

Anyways, I would love to connect with you and others! Pass me along, share me. Night night bloggies, time to go plan some MLK fun for the fam.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Glow Man!

The other night I decided to take fab idea I found on Pinterest via PlayatHomeMom.com.  This is an amazing blog I could (and do!) get lost in for hours.  Daddy has always been a huge fan of glow sticks (called "magic lights" in our home).  He likes to give them to Little Man before bedtime. It used to drive me nuts because the kid would be playing with them all night and use them to light his way to our bed in the middle of the night.  I was not a fan.

Then came Pinterest, which could pretty much make anything look like a great idea. (Like the recipe I found that called for cookie dough, double stuf Oreos, and brownie batter. Uhmazing idea!)  So the genius mommas over at PlayatHome.com came up with a slew of fun ideas for glow sticks. As you know, I am recovering from a second best hangover.  I opened the pack of magic lights that Daddy bought and I used THREE! At one time. 

I think that smile puts me back on top tier parent status :)

The sensory time in the dark just fascinated him. I highly recommend this activity. We buy our glow sticks at Academy, but according to PAHM, the best ones are at Dollar Tree.  Putting it on my to-do list to stop by this week and up our stash of magic lights.

Recipe Time!

Hi bloggies! I am SO not a food blogger, but I do love to eat.  One of my resolutions for 2012 is to cook meals at home more and expand my repoitre beyond fajitas, tacos, and spaghetti. Last year I created this awesome one pot pasta dish, inspired by a few other recipes I have seen in magazines and on AllRecipes.com. 

Fellow iPad users, I MUST take a moment to highly recommend the All Recipes app! It is FABULOUS. So visually appealing, easy to use, and searchable by photo inspiration or based on ingredients you have on hand. V. cool. But download it later, you need to stay here to check out my new fave go-to meal.

What you will need:

•  Tri color rotini pasta (I prefer Barilla! I love their whole grain products.)
• Chicken (I need quick meals, so I buy the Archer Farms frozen diced chicken breast)
• Basalmic vinegar
• Olive oil
• 2 tbs butter
• Cracked red pepper flakes
• Garlic (I buy mine prechopped in the jar)
• Basil (fresh or dried)
• Oregano (fresh or dried)
• Heirloom tomatoes (quartered)
• Red bell pepper (diced)
• Diced carrots
• Spinach (shredded)
• Squash & Zuchinni (cut into fourths)
• Sliced black olives, sliced green olives
• Shredded parmesan for topping
 
Whew! That's a lot of stuff! I promise this is so easy to make.
Step 1: Boil your pasta until al dente. (about 7 minutes) Then strain and set aside.

Step 2: While you wait for the water to boil and the pasta to cook until al dente, slice your veggies and place them in a bowl.

Step 3: After the pasta is finished, drain the water and leave the pasta in a colander. Set it aside.

Step 4: Using the same pot (why yes, that's my adorable red Paula Deen cookware!), drizzle the bottom with olive oil and add 1 tbs of butter (if you must!). One day I will cut out the butter. Not today.

Step 5: Dump in your bowl of veggies and sautee those babies! I like my zucchini to get a tad translucent in the middle but still firm (not totally limp). At this point I begin to shake in my cracked red pepper, cracked black pepper, basalmic vinegar, one nice spoon of garlic (and maybe some more, depending on my mood), oregano, and more olive oil. Taste as you go!  I like my veggies more spicy than my hubs, so do what you must to get it how you like & yet still please your family.

Step 6: When the veggies look done (it's okay if they're not all the way, you will add them back in later), put them in a large bowl with the noodles. Set the large bowl aside.

Step 7: Cook your diced chicken in olive oil and basalmic vinegar. Add more butter.... If you must. I won't judge. Add more garlic.  (I don't recall Edward being garlic-aversive, so no worries if you Twi-hards are still waiting for glitter boy to come sweep you off your feet!)

Step 8: Leave the chicken in your pot, dump back in your noodles and veggies, stir it up and make sure everything gets nice and heated through again. Add your olives if you had forgotten! Do NOT forget my fave ingredient. (I add them to practically anything I can!)  Sorry there is no pic of this step. My pot got nice and full and I added more basalmic. I was also entertaining Cade with some markers and a coloring book and assuring him that dinner would be worth the wait! While the meal heats up, butter some whole grain french bread (sprinkled with oregano and garlic of COURSE) and bake until toasty.

Step 9: Serve it up!! I added strawberries and blueberries as sides for little man's meal. Enjoy!
(Bring the basalmic to the table in case your  meal is too bland, that always makes it better... Next time don't be skurred to add your spices!)