Why I Am Now Carrying the Camera Everywhere

I was trying to explain to someone how crazy-happy I am now that I am home full time.  I was telling the story of how Little Man became so angry with me because I wouldn't let him but Thomas the Train in the dishwasher when I was cleaning the kitchen.  In retribution, he marched right to the center of the kitchen, sat down on the chilly tile, turned his back to me, and then proceeded with his tantrum.  I couldn't believe that (as I deftly "ignored" the histrionics) I was actually smiling to myself.  He was throwing a fit and I was just so happy to have this little guy bringing all of this excitement to my life.

Of course, the person I was explaining this to later looked at me as if I needed to be straitjacketed and carted off.  Partially because she is a bit younger and can't see past her work to party to sleep and back to work again lifestyle.  Partially because she has known me and my side of the family long enough to know that this happily-domesticated side of me is not genetic.  But, the picture above says it all.  Every day is so full of little surprises, bursts of candor and new pockets of personality.  We were getting ready for my morning run and he just snatched the sunglasses off of my face and proceeded to ham it up.  This is what makes me actually enjoy the laundry, the dishes, the diapers, the tantrums... because you never know what the next moment will bring.

Epiphany

Since becoming a full-time mommy, I've always sort of ducked my head and mumbled about the fact that I have held onto my Blackberry.  I felt as if it was an over-the-top luxury for someone who, at times, never even gets out of the house.  What does a mommy need with a Crackberry, after all?  I don't facilitate conference calls, I'm no longer on the road attending meetings while I have six other complex projects going on... what gives?

Tonight it hit me.  Hubby was taking Little Man out of the tub, and as I was handing him the tube of eczema cream, I realized that it was the first time the medicine had been dispensed today.  It should have been three times.  My solution? Crackberry!!  I set a reminder for 7am, noon, and 7pm.  Thus, justifying the continuance of my addiction... and justifying my request for the 3g iPhone when we switch phone plans in a couple of months.  Then, I'll just be super-cool-mommy, who can blog, take pictures, and get turn-by-turn directions on the sleekest-looking device on the planet.

See, there's always a use for everything!

To The Target Lady

Hey Lady,

Just because I brought by own bag to Target today when I needed to pick up diapers, wipes, sand toys, laundry detergent, and light bulbs it does NOT mean that I wanted to bag my own items.  It also does not mean that I deserved a heavily burdened sigh or eye roll from you.  What it does mean is that I have enough plastic Target bags to line my bathroom can, and therefore do not want to gather more of those wasteful pains-in-the-ass that are always flying up into the trees on Garners Ferry Road during storms.  What it does mean is that I actually remembered to be a responsible Target shopper for once.  I did not mean to inconvenience you and ruin your day.  I wonder what else ruins your day... trees?  Puppies?  Smiles?  How about Earth Day? 

Sheesh.

I Owe Y'All A Recipe, Don't I?

It's been awhile since I've posted a recipe, huh?  Well, this isn't in the style of recipe, per se, but it's warm out and I would spend every second of daylight on the patio if I could, so I'll share one of our favorite things to do!

Step 1: Pick up a pack of your favorite beer and/or white wine and put it on ice by the patio table.

Step 2: Click here for a great recipe for Black and Blue Burgers, or take my route and go to Earth Fare where their meat department has them already prepared to perfection.  While you are there, pick up a loaf of Cuban bread.

Step 3: Saute half an onion in butter.

Step 4: Set out some good, creamy French cheese, like fromager daffinois from The Gourmet Shop along with the portion of the bread that you won't be using for a hamburger bun, and start munching while the grill gets hot.

Step 5: Slap the blue cheese burgers on the grill and cook them to your liking (we enjoy ours medium rare).

Step 6: Place the  bread, sliced for use as a hamburger bun, on the grill until lightly toasted.  You don't want it to be very crunchy!

Step 7: Serve hamburgers with the sauteed onions on them, dijon mustard, and a dab of ketchup.

Mmmm!  Bon appetit!

Plastic sux

Hubby and I aren't really compatible when it comes to the level of caution used with certain products.  I guess all Hubbies are like that because every time I talk to another Mommy it seems that she has the same sentiment. 

I went out to Earth Fare and bought a Sigg bottle for Little Man this week.  He loves it and giggles mischievously when he nears the bottom of his drink and then proceeds to tap the dregs out onto his tray.  Yes, I know (as of today) that Playtex Sipsters are BPA-free, but it has always bothered me a little that when I get them out of their package (which apparently one needs a PhD to get through in under 5 minutes) they have that chemical-y stink.  I'm sticking with Sigg.  It's much cuter, anyway!

Toys R Us announced today that they are going to phase out selling bottles that contain BPA. Hubby scoffed when I told him, mumbling something about the same overreaction occurring when Teflon started being used regularly.  As far as I know, though, people who have birds for pets are still cautious, and when you purchase Teflon coated pots and pans, you are still warned not to heat them on high.  I told him that I will be throwing all of Little Man's bottles out and we will have to start from scratch when Number 2 comes along.  Guess what?  He couldn't argue with me! 

So, the moral of the story is, the next time your Hubby insinuates that you are overreacting over a product warning, just wait a little while for the news to back up your claim, because, in the immortal words of Brian Williams, "If you wait long enough, a medical study will come out to validate your lifestyle anyway."

The humility of parenthood

You know it's true. No matter what accomplishments we reach in life, our kids will find a way to bring us back down to earth. We saw it this weekend when Trevor Immelman won The Masters. His child did not care that Daddy was busy filling out his scorecard. He wanted Daddy. NOW. NOW! NOW!!! When it's not your kid, you let out a sort of delirious chuckle, feeling Mommy's pain as she tries to manage the situation with as much aplomb and sophistication as possible while an international feed is capturing her child's sudden burst of will. When you're not a parent, you think, "I will never let my child get away with that," or "Why is he even there?"

Hubby and I attended a party this weekend with a group of friends with whom we were regulars before parenthood descended upon us. Two of the couples were well into their third trimester of pregnancy, the rest were already lined up for the ice luge.* We stood in close proximity to the preggos, chatting about the weeks ahead of them. The wives, of course, were serene and glowing and everything one would expect from one who is between the barfing stage and the oh-God-I-can't-even-get-up-from-the-sofa-on-my-own stage. And the husbands, as one who has been through it once or twice would expect, were absolutely clueless. Two standout quotes from the Dads-to-be:

1) "Having a baby isn't going to make me miss out on anything."

2) "When my mother-in-law gets here after the baby is born I'm hitting the bars."

I could have just smiled and nodded. But really. Really? I decided to get the laughter over with then, because in a few weeks when I remind them of what they said they'll be laughing (albeit wearily) too.

There's a certain amount of denial involved. For instance, before the arrival of Little Man, Hubby thought that I would be content to let him sleep through the night while I was up three and four times in the darkness to nurse and diaper. Luckily this expectation didn't really set in until a week later when it was time for him to return to work. The illusion collapsed into powder within two nights of him supposedly returning back to his normal schedule, when I walked into the room with a screaming baby in my arms, growling, "Get up!! It's so freaking hot in here,** you have to hold him and change him while I go climb in the freezer!" Now I'm so incredibly lucky. On the off chance that our toddler wakes up in the middle of the night, Hubby is on it before I can even roll over! Oh how I have him trained! {Insert evil cackle here}

I take back the evil cackle, though. Sometimes I'm a little sad about that, because LM has hit the "I only want Daddy and I only want him NOW" phase of toddlerhood (is it just a short phase? someone please fill me in here!). Last night around 11pm we heard this forlorn sobbing on the monitor, with "Da da! Da da! Daaaaaaaa d-d-d-daaaaaah!" peppered in between breaths. I almost started sobbing back! As soon as Hubby went into the room the sobbing stopped. The mornings have also become increasingly difficult because when Hubby heads to work I have to do a complete 10 minute song and dance to get LM to stop crying and asking for Da Da to come back.

These guys are in for it. It will only take a couple of days, and they will be wrapped around those children's little tiny twinkle toes, and I can't wait to hear those quotes edited!

*Yes, you read correctly, and ice luge. I swear there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for a bunch of 30-somethings taking shots off of a block of ice... I just don't have it on me at the moment.

**Gotta love post-partum hot flashes!

Pea Pie, Columbia!

Is it possible?  Can I keep up with two blogs at once?  You forget that I am Supermom (cough, gag, ahem...)!  I can do anything!  ... and I'm no longer employed outside the home, and I have to find at least one way in my life to be able to finish a sentence!

Pea Pie, Columbia would be the phoenix rising from the ashes of PalmettoTot, which I do admit was a tad bit disorganized, but that is simply due to the fact that I hadn't yet set the focus correctly.  So, please check out the website, and if you were looking for something fun to do this weekend, I hope it will help!