PETE-A-LEE!!!

I just finished (again) cleaning off the desk in G's room so i can have an official workspace. Its great being in here off the floor and having G play in her room and even color beside me. Used to being in the same room as Peter I often inclined to just randomly start talking to him as he's in the room. Clearly I don't get a response. Sooo i shout out "PETER" and there's a lil echo "PETE-A-LEE, COME HERE!"

Makes me giggle ever time.

Thankful

So of course we were away for awhile spending Thanksgiving with my fam & the kids. Each year just gets better and better. This year was no exception. New family, G's antics and a fantastic birthday celebration just to name a few. I'm slugging though the pictures (over 100 taken in raw format - AHH) and have TONS i can't wait to post, but this one struck me.

As a stepmom myself, friends with a newly single mom and fiance stepmom and have to say that above all ~ I am truely thankfull for THIS.


pictured would be from left to right (stepmom, dad, stepdaughter, half sister, half brother, stepdad, mom & uncle who pointed out just how lucky I am)

another lactivist...

So Peter and I have often thought that there was a difference among G and her daycare peers. Specifically i'm talking about head size.

When G was born her head was pretty normal size. In her following pediatrician appts it was clear that she was not following the normal head curve progression. There were a few days i was concerned ~ but after a few more appointments we were assured that her noggin was indeed growing, just on its own curve. Although we never stopped noticing just how LARGE some kids heads were growing. I had come to think it was the norm for babies to have ginormous noggins, but had to admit, i thought G's proportional body was far cuter. But i'm her mom ~ thats my job.

Yesterday I was talking with a fellow BF'ing mom who was complaining about how her pedi is giving her crap as well and mentioned her lil girls head size too. I told her our lil observation and was met with a loud "YESSSSSS ~ I TOTALLY AGREE".

Now while i have no idea if this is just the I-Hate-Formula-Companies in me talking or if there is real information to support my theory ~ i did come across this article. In China 2004 ~ some no-nutritional content formula got out and...

Up to 200 babies who were fed the formula developed what doctors called “big head disease,” causing the infants’ heads to grow abnormally large while their bodies wasted away. Some babies died within three days of being fed the formula, while others were hospitalized after parents discovered their children were sick.

Sooooo who's to say some ingredient in 'nutritional' formula isn't the same as what was in this not-so-nutritional one. I think i'm onto something.

Just please don't tell Similac where i live. I don't trust em. :)

November Craftin

November's Swap theme was 'Fall'. I had quite a time thinking about what i wanted to make. Though i'm a 'sewer' so is the mom i was tasked with so i thought it might be neat to step outside my comfort zone. She had created something so unique for me (remember the bag of knitted bags) that i wanted to do the same.

I searched and searched and practiced and practiced. Till i came up with THIS.

and hee hee - i even made one for myself :)

Then ~ on to the good stuff. We got such cool stuff. I got some slippers (whee) and earings that are SO LIGHT and adorable (can you tell i've worn em a few times). G got a ball cover that ROCKS. I love the idea of having a lightweight ball that we can just bounce bounce bounce everywhere. I definatly see this as a future gift if i think i'm up to the task. Then of course ~ her precious scarf...in the post below. Just a lil bummed its mini size ~ mama wants one too!

I think i might bow out for the December swap though. I'm trying to make this year's presents 80% homemade. I told someone this and she said "why bother ~ i just like to get something and be done with it" Exactly i thought...thats exactly what I don't want to do. I've spent a lot of time over the past year creating neat gifts for girls and children i hardly know and its been an amazing experience. Sure it takes a lot more effort ~ and sometimes doesn't cost any less than going to a store...and even if they don't like/need it ~ at least they know it came from my heart vs something I 'had to do'.

Closer to TWO

As of 6:06 this morning my BABY is closer to 2 years old now than she is one. Like one wasn't hard enough to swallow. but TWO.

Although the signs are there. She's a whole little kid now. I can't get over her joking. Sometimes i find myself confused because i think she can't acutally be making a funny ~ can she??

Last night for example i was getting a lil more than irratated with her lack of interest in going to bed. Of course it was our fault as we let her nap too long / too late, but whatever ~ i wanted to veg a lil before i went to sleep too. But SOMEONE wouldn't let me. Around 11 I raised my voice and said GIULIANE ~ HEAD DOWN. To which she scrunched up her lips, brought out that little pointy finger to her mouth and shhh'ed me. Yea - she shh'ed me. "Ohh your a little stinker" i said and rolled over to my side so i could silently giggle.

And just so you don't think she's only bugger to mum ~ a few weeks ago Peter had gotten on G's nerves. For what no one really remembers, but one thing is clear. When Peter repeatedly asked for kisses she said NO NO NO NONO, but when he'd grab her and kiss her and blow raspberries on her belly ~ even through the giggles she kept her lil lips tucked in her mouth so Daddy could not kiss her. Mommy fine ~ no problems. Daddy ~ lips zipped.

Even though she's a lil 'stinker' it just makes me more and more excited for the upcoming holidays.

TA DAAAAAAAAAA

www.jlaphotos.com

now i just need business cards and ummm more clients.

pimp me internet nation. pimp away!!!!

I love my beautiful ordinary life

So i was teasing myself this morning.

What happened to the cool me?!?! Oh yea, she's been replaced with a suburban mom. Damn I'm all but one step away from a mini-van and bad jeans.

As I was listening to napsters "top 10 easy listening" downloads (8 out of 10 of which are Michael Buble) I came to this realization. G's playing at my toes and I'm trying to work. It's all pretty NORMAL.

Then comes Wayne Bradey. YES - he has an album and its pretty great acutally. So with the new season and my new old&wise mentality we'll be updating the Alcantarians header and a new song is below.

but don't go crazy we're still anti meds / vax / cook from scratch / make cleaners / drink goats milk / have many homeopathic remedies / love our wood toys / waldorf dolls / etc etc

Flintstones -- Meet the Flintsones

I just realized that I never did post the whole family pictures from Halloween. We had SUCH a fun night trick or treating with our friends. I thought it was ridiculous to go t-n-t w/a 1year old, but when you have 2 glasses of wine and a 10year old ninja ~ anything seems to be ok. Then as if that weren't great enough...we got to party as ADULTS!!!!

Holy Guacamole

I'm 30!!!!!

What an amazing amazing birthday. I have the best life. That's really all there is to it. There was absolutely NOTHING that I truely wanted for my birthday. And I think that just might be the best gift of all!

Giving Thanks

So the past few days i've been obsessed with finishing our Halloween costumes. Straight Up Obsessed! Its been fun this year because i'm making all of them. And must say -- i'm pretty darn proud.

I've done a lot of sewing the past year (a la mom-ness I presume) and have gotten soo much better. And while i'm totally self taught and couldn't follow a real pattern to save my soul... I must give credit where credit is due.

My Grandma ALWAYS made sure we had a 'yarning' project at her house. Something to do while she watched her 'stories'. Silly stuff of course, but always something w/our hands and always something that made me feel grown up.

Then we alllllways had homemade costumes growing up. Granted my sister and I were a clown about 10 years in a row between the two of us, but my Mom made us costumes. And she rocked at it. As a mom now - nothing makes me more excited than seeing G in something i took the time to make her. When people say to me 'Why bother???"..."its SOO much work", etc, etc...I simply respond. My mom loved me enough to do it. So can I.

So I guess that's what all this silliness boils down to.

Love.

On this historic day

G went POO POO IN THE POTTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The menu

So long gone are the days of
1/2 plate veggies ~ 1/4 protein : 1/4 starch

For those of you interested this is what a day SHOULD look like. Since our day starts and ends later than most 'normal workin' folks we've swapped out a snack b4 dinner for one after. But its all about blood sugar and intervals, so really no biggie.

Breakfast:9am
Dairy (1)
Fruit (1)
Protein (2)
Starch (2)

Snack:12pm
Veggie (1)
Protein (1)

Lunch:3pm
fat (2)
protein (4)
starch (2)
veggie (4)

Dinner:6pm
fat (1)
protein (4)
starch (1)
veggie (4)

Snack:9pm
Veggie (1)
Protein (1)

The (1)'s (2)'s, etc are exchanges -- not servings:
one protein exchange is approx 5g of protein
(1oz lean meat, 1/2c beans, 3/4c cottage cheese)
one starch exchange is approx 15g of carbs
(1 slice of bread, 1/2c starchy veg (corn-squash-peas), 1/3c beans
one veggie exchange is 1/2c cooked or 1c raw veggies or 1/2c veg juice
(check out how much PER DAY!)
one dairy exchange is 1c lowfat milk // 3/4c plain yogurt

Thats a whole lotta veggies cooked or not. Pesto's & shakes have been some suggestions not yet tried, but I'd love to know what some others do.

mmmm Goatmilk!

So awhile back when I was a kellymom.com junkie I remember reading that cows milk is really a marketing scam and that if you eat a balanced diet there is really no need for it. NO NEED. In fact ~ "in large quantities milk can cause iron-deficiency anemia and put kids at risk for a poor diet."

That's a pretty bold statement for those of us growing up hearing '3 glasses a day', and 'did you drink your milk'??? ALL THE TIME.

But of course G luuuuvs her milk. But something just didn't sit right with me. We've discussed raw, but its so hard to get and goats milks always been an idea since its the closest animal milk to human, but... but...

Well this afternoon Peter gave me a shot of whole cow's milk and I almost threw up. Literally gagged and wanted to get rid of that taste as fast as humanly possible. Firmly believing that i can not ask my child to eat something i would not (i.e. no babyfood) I KNEW there had to be a better option.

Since I'm running low on probiotics, I knew a trip to Whole Foods was in order ~ so i figured why not just TRY goats milk. I'll admit the thought kinda made me shiver, but NOTHING could be worse than the buttery-grossness of the whole milk.

Long story short(er). IT was AMAZING! Tasted clean / whole and like MILK. Not like butter fat and grossness, but like a perfect cross between boob juice and milk as I think of it. (and yes-all BFing moms have at some point!)

So that's it - i imagine its all goats milk for the house from here on out.

Craziness.

I LOVE FALL

I love everything about fall. The temperature, the sound of the leaves, the sweaters, the rosy cheeks, the layers and layers, the smell.

But best of all - seeing someone else love it as much as me.

Where's Shea?!?

So Giuliane has a buddy in daycare, Shea ~ who's great with cute lil parlour tricks. Whenever anyone says "Where's Shea" both Shea & Giuliane grab their heads and shout with glee.

"Where's Giuliane" however results in a chorus of crickets.

Perhaps mom needs to up the ante?

Busy busy busy

Its been a crazy crazy month ~ what with the end of the fiscal year for work, a looong weekend wedding down in Miami & just the general craziness of being a wife, mom, chef, payclerk, motivator, cleaning lady, laundress, etc, etc...This month has totally gotten away from me.

BUT I've got plenty of pictures and silly stories in my head to share.

Giuliane is ususally SOO GOOOOD when we go out to eat, but wouldn't it be just the case that she totally was a nut when Gramma & Grandpa Vic came to visit. Not BAD ~ but ummm a lil energenic for the booth at Sweetwater. I'm sure everyone agreed with G when Peter pronouced it was time to go and she said "YEAAAAAAAA"

And since Grandma & Grandpa were in town she was promptly rewarded with gifts when we got home :)

I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE A BABY WHO'S WEARING MY SWEATER!!!

A baby book milestone (sorta)

So last night i waas changing G's diaper. Halfway through she said "buff pate". Hmm
"butt paste giuliane, do you want mommy to get butt paste?"

At this point she hops up and goes to get the tube, comes over, hands it to me. "buff pate" and smiles.

So yea ummm. my daughters like 6th word is "Butt Paste".

(and man when it rains it pours! Just like the signing, when she decided it was time to talk ~ its time to TALK!)

More of my favorite things

Lazy Saturday mornings when the sun streams through your window so brightly that you refuse to even think about turning on any lights for fear of ruining that perfect glow.

And easy going afternoons when you get to play in the paints and take a bath right after not once ~ but TWO times.

(and that was LAST weekend!)

The dress...

So the saga continues. I have ASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSloads of work to do, but funcationally can't do a thing till all the data is pulled. I never thought i'd say this, but i need 2 computers.

Anyhooo - in my 'spare' time today i did the "skirt" part of my dress. I was terrified of sewing the netting. I'm talking straight beads of sweat running down my body. Not only was the material more expensive than i had reallyl wanted to spend, but MY GOD its netting. Somehow I just never thought it would be possible to seam together even quasi nicely.

Well i must say - i don't suck. I used approx two yards and did a simple 'gathering' stich on the top seam (yes thats the technical term). Then put it on elastic, pulling it tight the entire time. Well it WORKED!

So now i'm playing with the shapes of the dress, as the original -- though cute, doesn't exactly work for my body. I *think* i have it, but we'll see in a few days time.

ohhhh LUCY!

This past weekend we went to the (2nd) Annual Lucy Stomp. It was soo fun. Aside from loving the changing of the seasons, wine and hangin with my hunnies ~ i was THRILLED with the opportunity to squish some grapes between my toes.

G was faar more interested in eating the grapes vs. dancing on them. But it was a great weekend and she even learned how to do a propper pour.

the dress (cont)

So i'm learning
A) i need a new sewing machine or ummm propper lessons on how to sew
B) jersey knit is kinda a beeep to sew with but at the same time VERY forgiving

SO the easy part is done ~ the tube dress part. Now comes the tough stuff. THe overlay. The pic above is just the dress tied behind my back. The top will ideally be 'less poofy' and more like the inspiration dress and the bottom will be not exaclty poof, but far more gathered fabric.

I'm scared to even touch the stuff at this point. I think i need a day or two of reflection :)

In search of the perfect dress

So Mr A. and I have PLENTY of weddings to go to over the next few months. I'm usually in favor of skipping weddings, but one is at a cool location ~ another is unskippable ~ one we have to go to if we go to another and the other just promises more fun than perhaps the rest.

So being somewhere in between "normal" and plus size i'm limited to my choices of dresses that even fit. Put a budget on top of it ~ add my style preferences and welll ummm...there's not much left.

The first one is acceptable & inexpensive. The second is my ideal if i had money to burn and weighed 40lbs.

Sooo I'm doing what any reasonable person would. Give up and make my own! (no worries, i bought the black&white one just in case)

This was my inspiration:
but again too expensive, not my size and not colorful enough for me to really splurge, but i liked the neckline, the overlay and the general idea.

So armed with fabric and a dream ~ i'm off.

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

What started as an attempt to take a few quick pictures before school ~ turned into a little moment of reflection. I had hoped to catch a fun pic of G in her first pair of jeans lookin all grown up ~ but in the rush to get out of the house, find shoes, keys, and stay out of the landscapers way I didn't get any good pics.

Or so i thought.

Now while reviewing them, I came upon this one and it's just made me stop. The blur seems to be almost normal and necessary these days as we're constantly moving at lightening speeds and her feet...always on the go.

Not sad...just wishing i could stop time for a few days and catch my breath.

I knew this day would come

but somehow i had tricked myself into believing that i was a better parent than that.

HAHAHAHAHA

It sorta came out of the blue. The first time i heard it it tilted my head and sorta thought "hmmm was that what i thought it was??" The next time it was clear and i sorta giggled. With each passing hour the strength of this word grew as lil G realized its full potential and i even heard about it when we picked her up from daycare. In less 24 hours it went from cute lil 'beaker beaker' noises to a full blown ~ the devil may have possessed me

NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

(no) Labor - Labor day

Last weekend was labor day and I'm FINALLY getting around to uploading the pics. Far to many to share here, but thats the indication of a fantastic weekend ~ right?

Its been SEVEN - count em, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 looooooong years since i've been to the lake. And somehow, not much has changed and that felt WONDERFUL. Sure there are a few fabulous improvements to the house (dock bar anyone) but overall i'm happy to report that the lake wasn't 1/10 as crowded as I had expected.

Perhaps this is the silver lining to the high gas prices.

Small-us Rant-us (round 2)

So how's this for interesting.

Yes we're talking about my issues again. So a quick search for caprylic acid results in [quote] Caprylic acid is the common name for the eight-carbon saturated fatty acid known by the systematic name octanoic acid. It is found naturally in coconuts and breast milk. [/quote]

It's a fatty acid that has anti-fungal properties and is used to treat bacterial infections.

Sorry Similac but you can keep your "important additive, Choline chloride, in feed especially for chickens where it accelerates growth" We'll keep doing what we do and grow in a slightly more natural way.

Sidebar: Have you heard of the gentleman that 'cured' his cancer with breastmilk?? Not sure how i feel about premie babies being skipped over for an older man, but fascinating nonetheless.

More test results

So the poo tests came back today. Let me be the first to say

SHUT UP to EVERYONE who's ever said i was fat because i'm lazy -- i'm fat b.c. i don't eat well -- i'm fat because i don't eat well AND i'm lazy. Everyone who's offered me all expense paid trips to fat spas just becuase they love me. Everyone who's wanted to have a heart to heart with me because they're just intersted in my well being can SUCK IT FOLKS -- because I EAT JUST FINE and my CRAP CONFIRMS IT.

Ok - nice Jenn is back.

I have some infections and my bacteria aren't up to snuff. Probiotics and some caprylic acid should clear that up and immensely help my immune system (and allergies)

DONE & DONE!!

A few rough nights

So lately i've been having the wierdest of dreams.

Last night our car was stolen in NYC / Paris?? Somewhere big and busy. The night before was something odd (but i can't remember) and the night before that was HORRIBLE.

I dreamt that Peter and I had gotten lil G a big ol tattoo. A HUGE one on her back. Apparently we thought it would be fun. Fun?!?! This from a mama who won't even pierce her baby's ears? Anyhoo she had this big heart on her back and a lil tendril that went over her shoulder. As far as tattoos go ~ I'll admit ~ it was a nice one, but on my BABY?!? Do you think this is the kinda torture parents feel when we come home from college 'all tatted up'?

On another TMI note last night G and i were hanging out in the middle of the night. We put her to bed before our class so she's not quite the terror she can be for guests when she's overtired and HAS to stay up with the grown ups. Sometimes its works ~ sometimes it doesn't. Guess what? Last night it didn't.

So we're hangin out for awhile after misnight when she finally gets sleepy. She comes over and lays her head on my belly and is gently / sweetly patting me. Then she decides to roll over and kiss my belly. "BAABY Babby" she repeats as she pats and kisses my belly.

For all of you passing out right now A) i have my period ~ right NOW and B) i have an IUD

But for the love of god ~ someone get this girl a baby doll becuase she's FREAKING ME OUT.

The Glory of Gluttony

So after quite the lil blow last wednesday, Peter and I did lots and lots of grocery shopping and i (eek) bought a lot of crap. Food i NEVER eat, but for some reason felt compelled to try simply because it was gluten free. I may have put on 5lbs, but at least i've learned what brands of stuff i like and which i don't ~ in the quickest manner possible at that :)

In a short 4 days i've learned: going out to eat is impossible and cooking at home isn't all that different. Well we have a 1 year old and need to save $$$ anyhoo, so there restuarants ~ i don't want your sneaky food anyhow!

On a cuter note ~ yes that would be G ~ seems like she's totally skipped a round of toothgrowing and opted for a new set further back. Normal??? Prob not. Surprise me?? Definately not ;)

Oh No your DIDN'T!!!!

So this morning after much chasing ~ i finally corralled a nudie G and laid her down to put her diaper on and 'school' clothes. Now I could be mistaken ~ and lord please tell me i was ~ but as i was laying her down and saying something about being a good girl and going to school i SWEAR she rolled her eyes at me!

ARE YOU KIDDING??

I KNOW what i saw and it was definitely an eye roll. But I'm holding out hope and telling myself she was simply moving her eyes around because her hair was in her eyes. Yes, the same hair she REFUSES to allow to be pulled back in a barrette.

Right ~ it was the hair...~ RIGHT!!!

Chrio/Accu/Kines Appt update

Sooo after i spat, pee'd/poo'd, enough for the rest of my life of testing ~ its pretty much confirmed that my problem isn't thyroid ~ but adrenal.

Apparently my adrenal function is sooo bad ~ that its effecting my thyroid as well (among other things) There are still more test results to come in (and umm one i forgot to do) but...its all coming together & i'm beginning to be treated!

I'm forgoing western medicine this time and seeing a chiropractor trained in Kinesiology. Also in this office are acupuncture, nutritionists, ION rooms ~ the whole shebang.

I'll be honest ~ I wasn't a huge fan of the chiropractic idea. BUT i have HAD it w/my doctors. Telling me that i HAVE to have an organ removed only to be on medication for the rest of my life?? No thanks.

Then i ask myself ~ why are you so anti chiro / acupuncture care. Those voices in my head sounded like those folks that flipped out when i told them i was seeing a midwife for my prenatal care & birth. I have NO doubts that that was the perfect choice for me, but it was a hard bridge to cross (paperwork wise) and i don't think some people ever understood my decision...an some only after the birth.

So i pushed those old school voices out of my head and followed my gut. Well i asked my fellow bradley teachers for their recs ~ found a great office ~ and THEN followed my gut.

First Appointment: I bet your problem is adrenal ~ its often confused with thyroid, but lets test this, this this and this. (about 30 more tests than i've ever had with a traditional dr) She tests some muscles using kinesiology ~ waaay cool. And says ~ its gonna be a lot of work, but you can be fixed, without medicine and lead a normal life again. I almost cried with happiness.

Today's Appointment: Some tests still aren't back ~ but the problem is most definitely adrenal. Cortisol levels ~ crap: Cortisol-DHEA ~ crap: Adrenal "fatigue": insulin, post prandial, progesterone ~ you guessed it ~ all crap. I'm also a 'silent celiac suffer' ~ apparently crazy common for any sorta autoimmune disorder.

Soo what does it all mean?
Cut out gluten ~ yesterday
breath a giant sigh of relief ~ i'm not MENTAL!!!

Next steps:
Meet with a nutritionist to learn how to eat
Allergy Testing (though muscles, not blood)
Appts 2x per week for the next 2 mos - then hopefully will taper off quickly for maintenance appts.

I could go on for pages and pages about everything i'm learning. Perhaps when i have a few more moments ~ i'll type it out.

Final 2 cents: DON'T GIVE UP!

Pimp Pimp!

Its allllllmost done.

www.jlaphotos.com

tell your friends ~ tell your coworkers ~ heck tell your enemies. :)

Froll Meets Froy

This craft swap had me STUMPED. The theme was bedtime ~ and i was at the beach (no sewing machine & no fabrics). I had considered making an eye pillow for 'mom' but with a newborn and a lil boy it seemed like more of a slap in the 'i-know-you-get-no-sleep' face than a practical gift. Auntie yuj suggested a mobile for the baby's crib ~ but i couldn't leave out the big brother and i wasn't sure if they're cosleepers. (see the overthinking i am capable of?!?)

Soo while hopping into toy stores as an afternoon activity I acquired quite an addiction to these adorable ~ rather expensive lil "Ugly Dolls". Only half as funny as Pee & Poop, but I digress. So i decide i'm going to make Ugly dolls for these boys.

P Says: "Monsters, your gonna make Monsters for a lil boy as a bedtime theme? Should we just call child services and have them take away G now?"

hmmm - he does sorta have a point.

Soooo I made a bedtime story to go with them ~ and kept them cute vs scary :)

Oh and the ridiculous names you ask...why they come from being a frunchy doll and toy of course!

These are a few of my favorite things...

Since its in the DVD player and all...


Thumb - check
Berkley - check
Snuggly Blankie - check
Eeyore Pillow - check

ummm box to rest in?? - check

Auntie Yuj

or Auntie Yuk as the case may be on your cell phone ;)

WE MISS YOU!!!!!!

Fortune cookie for G...

and a perfect one at that...but I'll get to that later.

yes despite needing to eat better we ordered chinese. It was yummy and well... there's not much in the house after all the travelling we've done lately. Peanut ate combo fried rice, a steamed dumpling and a spare rib. Right off the bone...classic G.

Dinner over it's not time for the cookies. I grab all 3 (this is Dad by the way) and put them in front of G who takes 1. It was actually a surprise that she didn't take ALL 3. Then Jenn and the last one for me. G takes a bite and hands the cookie so mom can retrieve the note. as I said before...perfect.

"You will have a fine capacity for the enjoyment of life."

This sums up our little G...the girl who smiles with her eyes.

Ohh OHH OHHH

So how is this for interesting.

My name is Jenn and I have hypothyroidism. I could go on and rant about how little people understand this disease, how it is often overlooked for laziness and eating too much or too poorly or how its dumped into a 'fat person' problem and ignored.

But folks ~ its real and it sucks. REAL BAD.

So frustrated with the hormone replacements I'm making an appointment with an acupuncture dude and really starting to get on that diet bandwagon. And by diet - i don't mean DIET - i mean eating certain foods and minerals and skipping others.

Anyhoo i'm getting to the interesting part I swear.

It's recommended that I increase my intake of selenium. Its an antioxidant trace mineral that is essential for converting the thyroid hormone your body produces, T4, into its active form, T3. The highest source of selenium is found in...BRAZIL NUTS.
Yes, it is in other things as well (almost everything really), but the distribution is absurdly skewed.

Brazil nuts, for those of you not in the know ~ are the one and ONLY thing i am like DEATHLY allergic to. For example, I walk past them in the grocery store and my throat gets all tight. Lord forbid should I accidentally ingest some dust ~ i need benadryl within 3 minutes. An actual nut ~ call 911.

Soooo what if i don't really have this lovely autoimmune disorder?!?! What if I am allergic to selenium and/or it just doesn't do its duty in my body?

Functionally this means a whole lotta nothing. (but is crazy interesting, no?) Just another piece of my health puzzle I've get to figure out what the picture is.

Oompa Loompa Orange

So I have this weird food thing. Ok, perhaps I have a few weird food things, but I'm only addressing one here today. I HAVE to eat seasonally. Salads, raw veggies, grilled chicken & baked fish are SUMMER foods. Grilled squash, pizza, wings, pasta, baked chicken and perhaps a little red meat are FALL foods. Winter is reserved for chilli's stews and all the red meat one can sink their hands into and fish...well you best forget it unless its salmon with a nutty sauce. Ok - now i'm getting hungry and waaaay off topic.

Point is ~ last night the AC must have been turned up too high b.c. I craved CHILI. And not just any chili but ~ blast from the past ~ one of the only midwestern things I cling to ~ its not chili in a bowl with beans ~ Cincinnati chili over spaghetti! And O-M-G was it wonderful. Just the thought of it makes me want it for breakfast again.

Apparently the 'orange' doesn't fall far from the tree though. If you should see a little orange stained Oompa Loompa running around ~ please send her home by dinnertime.

its a dance party

So this past weekend we were traveling (yet again) and went up to PA. It was a wonderful walk down memory lane to stay at my Uncles / Grandparents old home. I stayed in my old bedroom, and hung out by the stream. G danced on the same porch that I dyed easter eggs and swam nudy in the same stream.

I won't mention WHY we were away for such a fun relaxin weekend...because i'm in denial.

I wish we were still at the beach :(

Beach


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Our First Graduate

After 37 (or so) hours of incredible labor Peter & I are proud to introduce the cutest graduate baby one could ever ask for of the Bradley Method.

But perhaps her parents deserve a lil of the credit! They are one amazing couple. They may not have had the exact birth they were wishing for but man-oh-man did they make us proud. In reading their birth story they are why we are soo happy about teaching. They knew how to read their labor, they knew when to stay home, and later - when to ask to come back home. They knew different positions for relaxation, for labor and for pushing; They knew how to stimulate contractions when the body got tired, and most importantly they knew the cause and effects of the sometimes necessary interventions and how to deal with it all making the most important decisions for a healthy mom and baby.

Of course it wasn't my body ~ but i'd say that sweet lil thing was totally worth it!

Oh Mama Mia!!!

Με σκοτώστε παρακαλώ !!!

(that would be KILL ME PLEASE) OMG OMG OMG that could have been the most miserable movie EVER. Ok - so admittingly i never wanted to see this movie in the first place. But...it was Monday Movie night with the girls and i'm making an attempt to let others think the world doesn't always have to revolve around me ~ so I happily obliged. Well, last time folks!

One sweet girl suggested that perhaps I'm not so into musicals. Nope - there isn't a show tune out there I don't know.

Perhaps I just wasn't in the mood? I was DRUNK ~ i had dirty martini's for heavans sake and no dinner. If this isn't the best possible way to get in a silly mood ~ i don't know what is!

So I ask myself. J you KNEW it was going to be cheesy ~ you KNEW instinctually that it wasn't your cup of tea...why are you soo shocked at how horrible it was?

Two Words. "Man Boobs"

Uh Oh

Last night, I walked up and down the beach following G as she tossed her little yellow shovel into the water...all night long! After each and ever toss she exclaimed "uh oh" (like it was a real surpise) and then proceeded to lift her arms and shrug her shoulders in the 'where did it go' fashion. Then she'd spot it ~ squeal ~ and chase after it in the water. Occassionally i'd have to grab her under one arm and chase the shovel down with the tide. And it never ceased to make me giggle when i'd give it back to her and she'd look at it and no more than 2 seconds later -- "Uh Oh!"

P & I got the occassional horrendous parenting looks as we let her run into the waves and get knocked over. It cracks me up when she comes up, spits out the water, wipes her face, then proceeds to clap for herself. She's such an independent thing. A blessing, but a pain in the butt sometimes as well!

Our Life...

is a very very very fine life!

After 9 days at the beach, we've decided that we just aren't ready to leave yet. So, we're not!

Happy 4th!

What a fun 4th of July! For the first time in about 15 years I'm down in Hilton Head for the 4th of July. This morning we did a lil shopping, had lunch, went to the beach, came home for dinner, went up to harbor town and listened to Greg Russel and then saw the fireworks. Nothing amazing, but amzing within itself.

We took a decent bunch of pitures however the tree behind us was the primary focus instead of us. Guess we'll just have to redo em ;)

p.s. - thanks lil Will where ever/whom ever you are. we missed Eeyore and he tells us you took good care of him.

Blow your Nose G

So at the request of a 'jessie' who keeps reminding me that all the mommy-cute stories i haaave to tell her, are all the little things i'm going to want to be reminded of as she grows....this ones for you!

As daycare kids tend to do ~ G often has a runny nose. Mommy has a runny nose and well Daddy likes to blow his nose. So at an early age G learned what the squares of green flannel meant when she saw em. At first she fought it, but like so many things in life she soon learned that giant green rag was coming no matter what so you better make the best of it!

You know that infamous noise thats encounted when one blows their nose? Well think about it for a minute. If your not really capable of 'blowing' your nose ~ its kinda an odd concept. Well G's started to mimic that noise with her mouth making a raspberry noise anytime someone goes to wipe her nose. Clearly this gets a phenominial reaction so now in addition to doing it when someone wipes her nose...anytime she finds an extra piece of fabric - be it dish towel, sock, yesterdays dress ~ she holds it up to her face, blows a raspberry with her mouth and walks away giggling hysterically.

god i love this kid.

Happy Fathers Day!!

Happy Daddy's Day!

This weekend I found myself in a very exciting place. Not only physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. My man, G and I traveled to Annapolis for my first professional wedding shoot. Since Annapolis is such a cool place and it was fathers day weekend ~ how could we not take advantage and make a 'mini break' out of it. Soo thats just what we did.

Fri night we drove the 60 miles in 130 minutes to our lil vacation Oasis. We did drive by's of the places i needed to go and more importantly went to the best German Restaurant ever. Giuliane impressed everyone with her behavior as we enjoyed our beer, wurst & schnitzel and even took a few daring bites...clearly liking some things better than others.

The next morning we stolled down to the coffee shop by the water and just enjoyed a few hours together before I had to take off for my duties. It was a long 8 hour workday, but when 'work' is amidst one of the happiest moments of a person's life, aboard a 74' sailboat, in the sun occassionally having a cocktail or two ~ 'work' just sorta takes on a new meaning. I enjoyed every moment and hope to be doing this MUCH more as time marches on.

THEN as if the weekend weren't cool enough on Sunday I waxed nostagic about this place I went with MY Daddy eons ago that I was eager to find. I knew we sailed from Annapolis to St. Michaels, so that was the direction we took on land. It was really a snipe hunt, but can you believe i *think* we found the acutal place!!! We had a few drinks by the bar then ordered crabs galore. G got corn on the cob because i've found it to be the best meal time babysitter and we had yet another costal retreat.

Finally we made the trek back home, which was acutally welcome after all of the running around. We clearly went a lil overboard this past weekend ~ but isn't that what life's all about???

OOOOOVERBOOOOOARRRRD!!!

Asthma Update

We're off the NEB!!!!

Went to the dr's yesterday for a lil check up. She said the G's lungs sound soo much better and agrees that we can take her 100% off the pulmacort! (with the understanding that if she starts back up she's on again and once restored is knocked down to a lower dosage) Could be baby asthma, could be tree pollen, could be indoor allergies, could be..., cloud be..., but most importantly - it could be over!

Another Craft Swap

This is becoming one of my favorite 'hobbies'. Another month, another swap.

This time I made bibs galore. The theme was earthtones, so obviously the brown bib was the one I made for the swap. As well as a black flowered one that isn't pictured. The cute lil froggy one I made for a friend and was my first time making the bib pocket. I think i'm the only person who thinks the pockets are useless b.c. everytime someone sees the bibs i make they say "oohhh and if you added a pocket, it would be awwesome" Sooo I tried it. It wasn't much more work & it does look cute. I can't wait to see if the mom likes the 'awesome' pocket...but it'll be awhile as baby isn't due for a few more weeks yet ;)


My received craft is AMAZING. Its a bag made from BAGS. Plastic grocery bags. Doesn't it look like a regular straw beach bag?!?!? This mom had a grandparent pass, her husband in the hospital and 2 toddlers to take care of and yet found the time to try something obviously very unique and new to her. I can't wait to put my recycled bag to good use....and perhaps learn how to knit one myself!

My Favorite Milestone

So baby books make a big deal out of the silliest things. When a baby rolls over, first tooth ~ you know, those completely arbitrary things that parents use to judge one anothers children. Well I have one that isn't in any baby book. Well at least the 18 that we have.

The knowledge of love.

Last night Giuliane woke up about 9:30 ~ just about an hour after going to sleep. I could have ignored her and let her go on, but we had such a fun day that i didn't really want to. (plus I sorta maybe kinda was responsible since i went in to check on her) Well i made it though my lullaby repertoire a few times, stopped for a minutes to see if she was still awake, when next her prairie dog head popped up ~ looked me straight in the eye and KISSED ME! Completely unprovoked ~ She kissed me!

Of course i read too much into it, but for her to recognize that sort of emotion & respond back makes me one very happy mommy. And saddens me a bit that the Hallmark powers that be don't think it's as important as when your upper left incisor comes in.

Green Our Vaccines!

So this morning at 7:30am Peter, G & I left for DC and the Green our Vaccine Rally.

The rally was organized primarily by TACA (talk about curing autism) and Jenny McCarthy & Jim Carrey. The goal was to get legislation to understand that we want CLEAN vaccines ~ real medical studies (not owned by the pharm industry) ~and a reassesment the current vaccination schedule. The emphasis was not anti-vaccine, but honest communication and working towards BETTER schedules & vaccines.

The group met at the Washington Monument. When we arrived there were prob 2,000 people already in line. Just walking past them to get at the end of the line made me sick to my stomach. The posters ~ OH THE POSTERS. Sooo many sad stories. 'HiB vax caused the seizures, seizures caused my death' ~ empty stollers with funeral flowers and childrens pictures. SOOOOOOOooooo many autistic children and here i was with my healthy baby. I couldn't get enough of her kisses and i just cried and cried.

Once in line we took a few min to gather ourselves, and finally began chatting with those around us. One family from PA was there with their 2 mos old. They have a 7 y.o. highly functioning son at home. They began vax'ing their 5 y.o. son, but then something clicked and they stopped when they started to see some all too familiar signs of withdrawl in him. Another group of moms in from Ohio ~ a bunch from Boston. And then there was the man in a very nice suit. He was there alone, bluetooth on his ear and i was DYING to know more. So i engaged him in conversation with the group near us. He worked for a gov't agency (he wouldn't specify which) and had a 5 year old autistic daughter. His wife had wanted to delay / skip the immunizations and he pressured her into going with the doctors recommendation. He said the guilt he feels every day that he gets to leave the house while his wife is at home with their daughter is the worst punishment for him. Every time i tunred around there was another family ~ another sick / passed child.

Finally the march started. It went from the Washington Monument to the Capitol Building ~ right past the Department of Health and Human Services. We slowed and stood in front of the Dept HHS for about 5-10 min. Everyone chanted - "too many, too soon" - till the chant moved to "Shame on You". Parents laid down their funeral arrangements and pictures on the curb of the building as their own security stood strong and clear that no one was to dare step foot on the HHS property.

Once we had reached the capitol building we were welcomed by speakers and listened to them. A few doctors spoke, Robert F Kennedy Jr (who looks EXACTLY like his father), Jim Carrey & of course Jenny McCarthy. A lot of the imformation was what you'd expect to hear, but it did end on a very moving note. Jenny claimed that she had done enough talking. Families came from every single one of the united states, mexico, canada & the phillipines to attend and be heard. Everyone help up their 'victim' and turned towards the news media while Otis Redding's 'A Change is Gonna Come' played.

At this point i stopped taking pictures, tossed the camera at peter, grabed my baby girl, held her sooooo tight and thanked everyone and everything that encouraged me to go with my gut...and wait.

Siggies

So anyone reading this knows I chat a lot online. And well part of that life involves signatures that go along with your posts. Since most of the chatting i do is of the mommy-realm ~ thus are my signatures.

They're always fun to make and I try and share a lil of who I am and/or whats going on at the moment. But as I gather them all ~ they're especially fun to look back on.

Starting with the most recent...