Dreams of a sleep-deprived mom

The other night I woke up from this beauty...

I'm driving down the highway with Henry in the backseat. It's dusk. There is a lot of traffic but not so much that we aren't all still able to travel at fairly high speeds (i.e. a minimum of fifteen miles per hour above the posted speed limit). I'm driving. I'm driving. I'm driving. Then I straddle two lanes. I don't know if I'm actually changing lanes to take an approaching exit or not. All of a sudden my tires hit the ruts and I'm thrown into a tailspin. In a second the car is turned so that I am perpendicular to the vehicles traveling behind me. There is a gigantic semi-truck coming. It crashes into me. The car crumples under the impact. Everything goes black.

This is when I wake up. It is the last dream I had when I did manage to catch more than a four-hour stretch of sleep, which isn't happening often. (Methinks the boy is going through a growth spurt and/or teething.) Well, there was one weird dream when an unstoppable cyborg assassin is sent by a race of artificially intelligent computer-controlled machines bent on the extermination of mankind to track down and kill future teenage Henry who is going to start a resistance against the machines but that particular dream most likely stems from my viewing of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles shortly before bedtime while nursing Henry to sleep.

Third Wordless Wednesday requires Oregon strawberries

Exercise Goal Getter

I came across this fast test you can take to determine what type of exerciser you are. Apparently I'm an exercise goal getter, which is described as follows:

"You have a great deal of drive and self-confidence, and are very focused when working toward a fitness goal. You tend to push yourself very hard to succeed and are achievement oriented in most things. Your actions are deliberate and often planned out ahead of time. Your biggest competitor is often yourself but you thrive in team sports where there is a clear winner. You tend to take control of what you are doing and like to gain a sense of mastery over it if you can. Indeed, for most Goal Getter types fitness is serious business and not just recreation. With that in mind, it will benefit you greatly to monitor and track your nutrition and exercise progress regularly. Things to watch out for: be careful not to lose interest if you stop making progress and become frustrated. Keep trying and take the time to seek the advice of a fitness trainer or professional. Many Goal Getter types believe too much is never enough. This kind of over training can lead to injury so be sure to give your body plenty of rest and time to recover. Great exercises for you are running, weight training, triathlons, biking, swimming, and hiking."

This kind of training can also cause you to think it's a good idea to wear Nike Frees (the short distance training shoe) for a half marathon, which, ladies and gentlemen, will completely fuck up your feet. Ouch.

Learning to sit

Thanks to friends of ours (thanks Amber and Andrew!), we got our hands on a Bumbo seat for lil' Henry over the weekend. There was a recall not too long ago because people were using them incorrectly (i.e., placing them on elevated surfaces), which apparently led to some rather nasty head injuries. As much fun as it can be to joke about dropping babies on their heads, actually dropping a baby on his/her head must be rather terrifying.

The first time Henry sat in the pink-colored molded foam he seemed rather pleased with himself. But he didn't seem on board when his mother (that'd be me) thought it would be humorous to take photographs that illustrate how the Bumbo seat should not be used. I'll have to wait until Henry's pops is home to get the shot of H in the B-seat on the top tier of the cat structure.

Correct Use: In the middle of town, on the floor.

Incorrect Use: On the elevated bathroom counter top. Note Henry's closed eyes. He's preparing for the inevitable fall.

Krugman rocks!

"Those who don’t want to nominate Hillary Clinton because they don’t want to return to the nastiness of the 1990s — a sizable group, at least in the punditocracy — are deluding themselves. Any Democrat who makes it to the White House can expect the same treatment: an unending procession of wild charges and fake scandals, dutifully given credence by major media organizations that somehow can’t bring themselves to declare the accusations unequivocally false (at least not on Page 1).

The point is that while there are valid reasons one might support Mr. Obama over Mrs. Clinton, the desire to avoid unpleasantness isn’t one of them."

...

"My sense is that the fight for the Democratic nomination has gotten terribly off track. The blame is widely shared. Yes, Bill Clinton has been somewhat boorish (though I can’t make sense of the claims that he’s somehow breaking unwritten rules, which seem to have been newly created for the occasion). But many Obama supporters also seem far too ready to demonize their opponents."

Click here for the full text.

The answer is hidden in her fingers

Okay, so, yeah, I know that by posting this I'm securing my place in Hell but we were talking about the girl who won the Scripps Howard 1997 National Spelling Bee this weekend and when reviewing the clip I laughed as hard as I did the first time I saw it. It just seems wrong not to share it with you fine folks.

Henry goes out without me

While I am alone at the house I am able to do the following:

clean litter box
fold laundry
put laundry away
start another load of laundry
empty dishwasher
fill dishwasher
wash dishes that cannot go in dishwasher
make bed
bake lemon bars

Now, I'm going to take a bubble bath.

Henry 100

Henry - 100 days old

1. Monsieur Henry was born 100 days ago.
   
2. Henry weighs approximately 14 pounds, in his pajamas.
3. And measures around 25 inches tall.
4. Henry talks. A lot.
5. And pukes. A lot.
   
6. Once, H accidentally peed on the cat during a diaper change.
7. Henry is becoming quite the talker.
8. And is charming to boot.
9. Henry likes to be worn in a sling.
10. And shuttled around in the stroller.
    
11. H finds raindrops that collect on the Bugaboo rain cover interesting.
12. Henry has been introduced to Zeppelin.
13. Henry loves reading books.
14. And is learning to suck his thumb.
15. Henry is a breast-fed baby.
16. Henry has pieces of flair on his diaper bag.
17. Henry loves the fish mobile that hangs above his changing table.
18. Henry finds tummy time a necessary evil.
19. Henry gets distracted by the cats.
20. Henry still snorts when hungry.
21. And is a wiggly baby.
22. Henry likes his reflection.
23. Henry smiles.
24. And laughs.
25. And giggles.
26. Henry produces mounds of laundry.
27. And goes through several diapers a day.
28. Henry looks good in denim and corduroy.
29. And hats. He looks really good in hats.
30. Henry has five handmade blankets.
31. Henry lives in a condo.
32. Henry has the entire Harry Potter series in his library.
    
33. Henry stands for long periods of time.
34. He'll hold your finger if you let him.
35. H has never cried it out.
36. He's a co-sleeper.
37. He doesn't roll yet but he's close to acquiring that skill.
38. He's got a bald spot on the back of his head.
39. Henry grumbles when hit with cold wind.
40. H thinks some things are stoopid.
41. Like baths, which he tolerates.
42. He likes meeting Erin for cupcakes.
43. And joining her at dessert places.
44. He's distracted by the fabric of the Hooter Hiders.
45. He is generally a good boy for his parents.
46. H has slept in his crib all night before.
47. Henry's first theatre experience was an attempt to see I Am Legend.
48. He made it through 45 minutes of the film.
49. Henry has two piggy banks.
    
50. With two different types of currency (US and Canadian).
51. Henry is a thoughtful boy.
52. He has a lot of green in his wardrobe.
53. Is the subject of study in nearly 1900 photos.
54. Henry often grabs his mom's necklace when nursing.
55. Henry loves his oddball.
56. Henry has a pair of Nikes and a pair of Tevas for summer.
57. Henry has long fingers and nails that need to be trimmed often.
58. H likes to swing.
59. He doesn't mind when swinging puts him to sleep.
60. Henry likes to be with his mom in the kitchen when she's baking.
61. Henry does not like to wash dishes but he doesn't mind helping put them away.
62. H likes the sound of running water.
63. And of the washing machine.
64. And the noise from the vacuum often puts him to sleep.
65. Henry wears organic clothing whenever possible.
66. And cute little non-organic socks that stay on his feet.
67. He has shoes with an alien and a spaceship on them.
68. H is almost ready to start wearing 6-month sized clothing.
69. Henry prefers chocolate-flavored breast milk.
70. Henry loves to motor.
71. H likes to eat when he's hungry and sleep when he's tired.
72. Henry is endorsing Hillary (because his mom said so).
73. Henry is well protected by Beauty the wonder dog.
74. Henry still wakes in the nighttime to feed.
75. But goes right back to sleep when he's done eating.
76. Henry prefers staying up late and sleeping in.
77. Henry enjoys a good nap with his mom.
78. And likes to go on outings.
79. Henry doesn't mind nursing in public.
80. H has a small second chin.
81. Henry has a dimple.
82. But he doesn't know if he can roll his tongue yet.
83. Henry moves around a lot in his sleep.
84. Henry was born the same day as his cousin a decade earlier.
85. Henry goes by many names - Bean, Bug, Bud.
86. Henry didn't have a name until right before we left the hospital.
87. Henry was almost called "Otis".
88. Henry's eye color is still undetermined.
89. Henry's hair is brown.
90. Henry smiles when he first wakes up in the morning.
91. Henry has two grandparents that live outside the country.
92. Henry is becoming ticklish.
93. And he looks around at everything.
94. He discovers something new about himself every day, like hands.
95. When he grasps something he quickly brings it to his mouth.
96. He likes being held up by his feet, as long as he isn't too far away from the floor.
97. He likes his flash cards with their black and white images.
    
98. Henry loves his pops.
99. And his mom.
100. And he is loved by them.
     

Oh Meyer!

Today's cooking experiment - lemon meringue pie made with Meyer lemons. Research online has produced conflicting accounts of what to expect. Some like the slightly less bitter and abrupt taste of the Meyer lemons, stating the Meyer lemons blend unobtrusively with the other ingredients to form a pleasing, coherent pie. Others prefer the bright taste of regular lemons, finding the flavor of the Meyer lemons uninspired in this particular dish. The pie is cooling on a wire rack but we won't be eating it until tonight. We're heading over to the McMillers for dinner. The last e-mail correspondence advised lamb shish kebabs and hummus were on the menu. Darr's been trying to convince me to try hummus for years but my food fear is great so tonight will be an exciting culinary adventure for me. It's been awhile since I partook of a new food and I'm looking forward to it. Here's a list of some of the foods I have tried since meeting Darren:

emu (red meat, who knew?)
oysters (accidentally ordered thinking they were clams)
mussels (best mussels to date were in Paris and had a cheesy sauce - yum, yum, and yum)
spaghetti squash (weird)
soda bread (homemade and very tasty)
sushi (including eel at my friend's bachelorette weekend in Vegas)
caviar (click here for proof)
capers (but these were used as an ingredient so I'm not sure this counts)
stinky cheeses (including the kind with visible mold)
rabbit (in a pasta dish at Tuscany Grill - very good)
eggs Benedict (regular, salmon, and crab varieties)
chocolate croissants
sweet and savory crêpes
falafel (made at home and eaten sans sauce)

UPDATE: Hummus is TASTY! I can't believe Darr let me go this long without trying it. The lamb shish kebabs were yummy. The spinach spankoptiatasisasas (sp) were wonderful. It was all so good. Thank you for having us. Oh, and, uh, Henry sends his apologies for puking.

Not my Haiku Friday

There is this weekly post called Haiku Friday that is something you can participate in for fun and to potentially bring new traffic to your site. Today, while reading through a few of my regular blogs, I came across this clever Haiku Friday post from the blog Just Chicken Feed. The author, Jenni, uses all of the words from the 2007 List of 100 Words Every High Schooler Should Know.
It begins...

An auspicious way
to circumnavigate all
hundred words to know.

Click here to read the rest.

I already got the gear

Not shown: the "I'm Your Girl" Hillary button.
Click here to view or, better yet, buy your own.

The NY Times editorial board endorses Hillary Clinton and I couldn't be happier. You can read the whole article here or just peruse the snippets below to get the gist of the piece. If I found a bottle with a genie inside that granted wishes I would, of course, ask for world peace, but second on the list would be a Clinton-Obama ticket in 2008. Seriously, let the old gal work her womanly magic and in eight years, with oodles of experience under his belt, Obama can take over with a clear plan on how he'll continue to bring about change and unite the country. It's a dream ticket, I'm telling you.

"By choosing Mrs. Clinton, we are not denying Mr. Obama’s appeal or his gifts."

"It is unfair...but any Democrat will face tougher questioning about his or her fitness to be commander in chief. Mrs. Clinton has more than cleared that bar, using her years in the Senate well to immerse herself in national security issues, and has won the respect of world leaders and many in the American military. She would be a strong commander in chief."

"Domestically, Mrs. Clinton has tackled complex policy issues, sometimes failing. She has shown a willingness to learn and change...Mr. Obama may also be capable of tackling such issues, but we have not yet seen it. Voters have to judge candidates not just on the promise they hold, but also on the here and now."

"The sense of possibility...rouses Mr. Obama’s audiences and not just through rhetorical flourishes. He shows voters that he understands how much they hunger for a break with the Bush years, for leadership and vision and true bipartisanship. We hunger for that, too. But we need more specifics to go with his amorphous promise of a new governing majority, a clearer sense of how he would govern."

"The potential upside of a great Obama presidency is enticing, but this country faces huge problems, and will no doubt be facing more that we can’t foresee. The next president needs to start immediately on challenges that will require concrete solutions, resolve, and the ability to make government work. Mrs. Clinton is more qualified, right now, to be president."

"Mrs. Clinton seems not only more aware than Mr. Obama of the consequences of withdrawal, but is already thinking through the diplomatic and military steps that will be required to contain Iraq’s chaos after American troops leave."

"Mr. Obama talks more about the damage Mr. Bush has done to civil liberties, the rule of law and the balance of powers. Mrs. Clinton is equally dedicated to those issues, and more prepared for the Herculean task of figuring out exactly where, how and how often the government’s powers have been misused — and what must now be done to set things right."

"We know that she is capable of both uniting and leading. We saw her going town by town through New York in 2000, including places where Clinton-bashing was a popular sport. She won over skeptical voters and then delivered on her promises and handily won re-election in 2006."

"She is the best choice for the Democratic Party as it tries to regain the White House."

Photo test results: And the winner is...

Pro Photo (my pick) and ScrapbookPictures.com (Darr's pick).

How we decided:
Because I'm impatient and want to get my pictures ordered, I did an initial review after the first four sets of prints were received. Costco and Shutterfly did not make it past this round. Costco photos were too dark and the finish, they have a non-glossy option called "lustre", was still too shiny for my liking. Shutterfly photos had a very aggressive orange tint and showed every flaw. (This may be a sharpness issue, I'm not sure, but the result is I didn't like the photos.)

The Pro Photo and Creative Memories sets moved to the second round and were compared with the ScrapbookPictures.com and Snapfish sets once they were received. In a blind test, the photos were randomly laid out on the table, we recorded our favorites separately, and then calculated the results. I did not like the matte finish on the Snapfish photos so that set immediately moved into last place. Admittedly, there were a few of the Pro Photo photos that were a touch on the bright side but that didn't bother me as much as it did Darr, who always selected the darker photos when presented with the option. When all was said and done, Darr had selected seven of the ScrapbookPictures.com photos and I had selected seven of the Pro Photo photos. The remaining photo favorites were a combination of the other sets. Ranking for us is as follows:

1st place: Pro Photo Supply and ScrapbookPictures.com
3rd place: Creative Memories
4th place: Snapfish and Shutterfly
6th place: Costco

So, where will we go? Pro Photo Supply, silly. Yeah, it costs me an additional $0.05 per photo but I've got a history with PPS - they developed our wedding pictures. And I know if I'm unhappy with a photo, they'll redo it for me. Plus, it's printed on Kodak paper and has, I think, the best matte finish out there. Well, maybe not in the world but definitely the best matte finish of the six sets I reviewed.

Kukunest

I recently learned my friend's cousin designs and makes bedding for kids and toddlers. To check it out, click here. I am hoping Monsieur Henry is into fish - if his love of the fish mobile from IKEA is any indication, he will be - around the time we start looking to redo his room so I can buy this bedding. I love the colors, the modern feel, and the frickin' cute submarine.

Methinks he has discovered girls

As I check e-mail Henry lies on the couch next to me digesting his acid reflux meds while watching The Girls Next Door.

Monsieur Henry laughs

Monsieur Henry laughs from Christie on Vimeo.

Photo test progress

Photos ordered from:
Pro Photo Supply
Costco
Snapfish
Shutterfly
Creative Memories
ScrapbookPictures.com

We received four of the six photo sets back last week so tonight I forced Darr to do side-by-side comparisons to see which set had the greatest number of pictures developed to our liking. As expected, he preferred one set and I preferred another. Here's the current ranking with some specific notes for each set:

Pro Photo Supply (tied for first)
Printed on: Kodak Royal Digital Paper
Size: Standard 4x6
Cost: $0.19 (sale price)
Web URL: www.prophotosupply.com
Notes: This is my favorite so far. PROS - 1) Most true-to-life colors; 2) Processing method hid scratches and flaws, particularly on close-up face shots of Henry; 3) Best matte finish;
4) Details not lost in shadows; 5) Supports local business. CONS - 1) Too bright; 2) Processing method caused some detail to be lost when flash used; 3) Length of time to upload pictures to site when ordering.

Creative Memories (tied for first)
Printed on: Konica Minolta paper
Size: Standard 4x6 or 4xD option (4xD is the industry term for a print that is 4x5.33 inches)
Cost: $0.19
Web URL: www.cmphotocenter.com
Notes: This is Darren's favorite so far. PROS - 1) Bright colors; 2) Great details, showing some flaws; 3) Photos taken with flash not washed-out. CONS - 1) Hard to navigate site and place order; 2) Some photos too dark, particularly on pics with shadows; 3) Not true-to-life colors.

Shutterfly (third place)
Printed on: Fujicolor Crystal Archive Paper
Size: Standard 4x6
Cost: $0.12
Web URL: www.shutterfly.com
Notes: PROS - 1) Bright colors; 2) Photos taken with flash not washed-out; 3) Price. CONS - 1) Orange tint; 2) Showed all flaws.

Costco (fourth place)
Printed on: Fujicolor Crystal Archive Paper
Size: Standard 4x6
Cost: $0.17
Web URL: www.costco.com
Notes: PROS - 1) Photos taken with flash not washed-out; 2) 1-hour processing and local pick up. CONS - 1) Too dark; 2) Slightly orange tint; 3) Lustre finish (the non-glossy option) is too shiny.

UPDATE: I'm posting scanned photos per B.E.'s suggestion. Just know that my scanning abilities are NOT GOOD.

The following shows the variances in light and dark from the four photo developers I've received pictures back from so far:
The next two photo comparisons are from Pro Photo Supply and Creative Memories, both tied for first. In the first example, note the shadows (and try to ignore any weird lines/grooves that are present as a result of my bad scanning):
And next, the lighter photo has colors more true-to-life than the slightly darker almost-orange tinted photo.

Proust: The New Put-Baby-To-Sleep Technique

As I sit here blogging and watching The Office Season Three with headphones, Darr is reading Proust (Swann's Way) to Henry to help him fall asleep.

Baby photo albums

It took awhile but I was able to locate and purchase three distinct photo albums to fill with pics of Monsieur Henry that I will send to the grandparents. Here they are for your viewing pleasure.

Music for babies & kids

I just bought Monsieur Henry a CD case so we could have acceptable listening music for him in the car. It is filled with various CDs from Putumayo Kids. As stated on their website, "Putumayo Kids is committed to introducing children to other cultures through fun upbeat music from around the world." The music is fairly enjoyable, even more so when compared against other collections for kids. And there are any number of collections to choose from. I recommend the French Playground or Brazilian Playground. My French sucks but I can still pick up the occasional word here and there and sing along. For this, Henry has my apologies.

Manila folder for MacBook Air

I have a fairly new MacBook but that doesn't stop me from lusting after the new MacBook Air, Apple's, nay, the world's thinnest laptop. And with that, I'd like to buy the AirMail manila folder to tote it around town. How cool would it be to show up on my first day of law school and pull this slim beauty out of what appears to be an ordinary manila folder but is actually a fleece-lined laptop sleeve. (Answer: So cool.)

Recipe Corner: Bacon, Potato, and Cheddar Frittata

For someone like myself, who really enjoys a hearty breakfast with the three best ingredients on Earth - bacon, potatoes, and cheese - this is the best recipe. While it is fairly easy to make, it does require some time to prepare. Thankfully, all of the cooking is done in one pan so you don't have to spend hours afterwards on clean-up duty. We made this for Brother Nick and my sister-in-law Megan for Christmas Eve morning brunch this year and it was fantastic.

Ingredients:
12 large eggs
3 tablespoons half-and-half
salt and ground black pepper
8 ounces bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 scallions, sliced thin on the bias

Directions:
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position, about 5 inches from heating element; heat broiler. Whisk eggs, half-and-half, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl until well combined. Set aside.

Fry bacon in 12-inch nonstick ovensafe skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 9 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate; pour off all but one tablespoon bacon grease. Add potatoes to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Stir cheddar, scallions, and bacon into eggs; add egg mixture to skillet and cook, using spatula to stir and scrape bottom of skillet, until large curds form but eggs are still very wet, about 2 minutes. Shake skillet to distribute eggs evenly; cook without stirring for 30 seconds to let bottom set.

Slide skillet under broiler and broil until frittata has risen and surface is puffed and spotty brown, 3 to 4 minutes; when cut into with knife, eggs should be slightly wet and runny. Remove skillet from oven and let stand 5 minutes to finish cooking. Using spatula, loosen frittata from skillet and slide onto platter or cutting board. Cut into wedges and serve.

Serves 6 - 8

Month Three

Dear Henry,

In approximately four hours you will be three months old. As I type this, you are sleeping soundly by your pop, who is working on his laptop beside you. I wouldn't say we have a schedule per se but we have developed a new pattern that has you sleeping through the night around 85 percent of the time. It involves both parents, a swaddling blanket, and a darkened bedroom with a humidifier quietly piping mist into the air. Tonight you went to sleep before I put you in bed but on those nights when you need a little assistance, we swaddle you and you will look in your dad's direction and then in mine (I'm sitting on the couch) and then back to your dad, over to me, and so on in this manner until, sure that we aren't abandoning you, you yawn a few times and drift to sleep. Your dad has been known to try the Jedi mind trick to help you, "This is the sleep you're looking for."
The past thirty days have been every bit as exciting as they have been exhausting. You are becoming increasingly aware of your surroundings, often staying awake to look around when we take you outside for walks with Beauty the wonder dog. You brave the cold for a good ten to fifteen minutes before you go into what I like to call "cold coma" because you inevitably fall asleep and remain that way until we are back inside the condo where the temperature is more to your liking.
We recently hung a mobile above the changing station in our bathroom. You are quite taken with the yellow, green, blue, red, orange, and white fish with big eyeballs that gaze down at you. You stare intently back at them and then become a flurry of activity, waving your arms and legs and using baby-speak to tell them what's on your mind. One day I will tell you the story of the day we went with Aunt Megan and Cousin Amelia to get that mobile. How, when we were feeding the two of you in the upstairs cafeteria, I burped you and while you were on my shoulder pointed in another direction you let loose projectile vomit that hit the floor nearly a foot away from where we were sitting. Thankfully no merchandise was damaged. You are quite the authority on puking, my son. The stuff pours out of you in copious amounts. We were concerned enough to take you to the doctor, an ultrasound at Doernbecher's a day later showed us that you were nothing more than the average needs-to-barf baby. A rather foul tasting medicine was prescribed to help ease the pain you were experiencing. You get it every morning and night. It makes you scrunch up your face and make weird gagging sounds - I can't say I blame you, the stuff is gross - but it prevents you from damaging your esophagus so we happily administer it to you.
You have slept an entire night alone in your crib. You appeared well rested the next day but I was up and checking on you nearly every hour and got less sleep as a result than I do when you are in bed right next to us. At 3:41P.M. on 6 January 2008 we heard your first laughter. It was tinkly and cute and spontaneous and sweet. I want to make you laugh forever because I don't think I'll ever find a more perfect sound than that.

Love,
Mom

It must be the socks

While there was no stated resolution made on New Year's day, I have made my lukewarm return to the treadmill. (Lukewarm seemed more fitting than triumphant given that I'm currently only running three days a week.) And while I did get new shoes and new shirts to further convince me I enjoyed running, I think it is the new socks that are really making a difference. Seriously. I love these things, with their anatomical left- and right-specific designs that offer "superior fit" and the "unique footstrike cushioning system" that "incorporates running-specific pressure maps" that provide my feet with all the comfort needed to keep on trucking.

Second Wordless Wednesday requires gelato

Study in Motion

There have been a couple close calls with the daily pics we're uploading to Flickr, meaning we came uncomfortably close to the day ending with zero pictures taken of Monsieur Henry. To avoid this in the future, I'm trying to set aside time each morning to snap a few shots. Today, the weather was nice enough that I was even able to get a few shots with natural light. It just so happens that in the morning, after a restful night of sleep (for Henry, not me), the kid is all sorts of active. Capturing a shot that doesn't have some portion of Henry moving is challenging, which leads us to the above photo. And this was taken using the vibration reduction lens.

A steaming bowl of papier-mâché

I wouldn't touch oatmeal growing up because the slushy mush resembled strips of newspaper dipped in glue-water that people use when constructing papier-mâché. Who wants to eat that? Not I. A few years ago Darr introduced me to steel-cut oats and my whole oatmeal world has been turned upside down. I'm blogging about this now 1. because I need to get my post for the day completed (Damn you, Blog365!) and B) because I need to tell you that steel-cut oats kick ass before I'll be able to sleep tonight.

Sunday pictorial

Beauty the wonder dog was more than happy to accompany us downtown today.

We finally made it to Cacao to drink some chocolate. Yum.

Poor pooch had to wait outside. Drinkable chocolate rocks.

Beaut was sure happy to see us when we came out.

Henry was a great kid, hanging out in the Baby Björn as we strolled around the city.

Nothing says respect for the law like having your dog off leash next to the Leash Pets sign.

Doing our part to help the economy we purchased food for the adult humans, dog treats for Beaut, and clothes for our little guy.*
(The red, white, and green pajamas are for Christmas next year.)

*Rewritten to no longer suggest we bought dog treats for the kid. Thanks, B.E.

"A" is for crocodile

I had to chuckle when I read Cathy's post on ABCs this morning. We, too, have noticed there is something funky going on with toy manufacturers and publishing companies where the alphabet is concerned. I mean, what's wrong with the traditional "A" is for apple, "B" is for banana, "C" is for cat examples of letters that have served millions so well up to this point? Do we really need to be new and inventive where the alphabet is concerned? Learning the alphabet is fairly important in the grand scheme of things we should know in order to succeed as humans, no?

Henry has the Eeboo Alphabet Cards that are meant to be wall cards, but could be gigantic flashcards if you felt so inclined. Anyway, they are adorable and quite clever. Instead of the classic black letter in the middle of the card with one small picture off to the side, the letter is hidden in a lush outdoorsy scene. When hung in a row, this creates a sense of fluidity and continuity. Usually there is more than one object in the picture that starts with the given letter. It's all very cute and whimsical and holy Zeus I have to be a botanist to figure out what plant this is that starts with the letter Q. And great Gatsby I gotta go back to school to learn what this animal is because I can't figure it out. And what about the instrument the zebra is playing, clearly it is something that begins with the letter Z but I'll be damned if I know. Perhaps when I finish becoming a meteorologist I can confidently state this cloud is cirrus rather than cumulus. And yeah, there is no key card to help ridiculously stoopid parents like us. There is an opportunity to be deviant, though, purposefully misusing the cards to teach kids the wrong thing - such as "A" is for crocodile.

So, in the following months, we'll occasionally post pics of the various cards to see if we can't crack this enigmatic alphabet learning tool. With our collective brain power, we just might learn these darn ABCs.

Photo test

Before I order prints of the many photos we have of the lil' one from our local favorite developing spot (Pro Photo Supply) at $0.20 a print I want to make sure they are worth the extra money. So, I'm sending the same group of photos to Snapfish ($0.09) and Shutterfly ($0.12) to do a quality comparison. I wanted to send them to Kodak as well but those guys only offer the matte finish for photos larger than 8x10. If anyone else has a favorite spot, let me know and I'll add them to the experiment. More on this later...

Update: Shutterfly allows you to pick up your photos at Target and Snapfish allows you to grab photos from Walgreens. (In researching this I found that Longs is also connected to Snapfish.) I'm making the assumption that the quality remains the same whether or not you order the prints to be picked up at the store or have them delivered. I have developed photos from Rite-Aid before. The quality was spotty enough to be excluded from this experiment. One obvious place I missed, though, was Costco so I'm heading to their web site posthaste to order the same set from them. (The great thing is they are all of Henry so when I'm done I can send pics of the grandkid to the various grandparents, two of whom currently dwell outside the U.S. - downtown Canada and Peru.) And I will order another set from Creative Memories as well.

Costco charges $0.17 per photo and offers a lustre finish. This is apparently less glossy than the glossy option so I forged ahead.

Creative Memories charges $0.19.

Two companies (Creative Memories and I can't remember the other one) offer a non-standard size photo - slightly smaller than 4x6 - to give you the best picture given the aspect ratio without cropping the photo to fit the traditional 4x6 size. We'll see how that works. Several companies use processes that are supposed to brighten whites and make colors more vivid, yadda, yadda, yadda. I'm hoping it doesn't destroy the shadows I've tried to capture on some of the photos.

Update: I have purchased yet another set of photos from scrapbookpictures.com. They are local - like Pro Photo Supply. Their current price is $0.12 per print.

Mike said what?

Darr e-mailed me this Mike Gravel gem yesterday. He said this last Sunday while talking to students.

"I'm sure a lot of you have tripped out on alcohol. It's a lot safer to do it on marijuana."

At least his message is consistent. Back in May he said the following:

"Go get yourself a fifth of Scotch or a fifth of gin and chug-a-lug it down and you'll find you lose your senses a lot faster than you would smoking some marijuana."

The dude has a point.

First Wordless Wednesday requires beer

Yay!

Put that in your pipe and smoke it! She won! She won!

In case it isn't obvious to you yet I am a HUGE supporter of this woman. I can't wait until she walks into the White House as the first female president in our nation's history. Woohoo! Things I don't care about - how she laughs, what she wears, her haircut of the moment, that she cries, that she doesn't cry, that she isn't always photogenic, that she isn't built like a model, that she prefers to keep her private life private.

This house is for Hillary

With 48% reporting Hillary is in the lead. I repeat, Hillary is in the lead. Please, please, please, please, please let her win. I want her to kick ass, take names, and then get her husband back in the White House where he belongs!

There are 22 pledged delegates, 8 unpledged.

This makes me feel giddy, like November 2006 when we saw the Democrats tromp the Repubs. (You can read about that here, here, here, and here, and here, and oh yeah, here.)

Goal of the day

The realization has finally hit me that I am currently a stay-at-home mom. And the fact that I am fairly new in this role is reflected in my stated goal for the day, to make blueberry buckle. Just one small goal. It is, of course, not the only thing I will do today, but it is the only thing I have to finish, that I have committed to completing, that I am determined to see to the end. A seasoned SAHM veteran would know how to get the buckle done while juggling the demands of a nearly three-month old human who is rather fond of projectile vomiting. I do not.

Current stats:
blueberry buckle - cooling on wire rack
baby - down for a nap
laundry - drying
free calendar from Shutterfly - created and ordered
project for newly engaged friend - in process

Rare tomato outbreak

What I misread:

Rare January outbreak of tomatoes rakes the Midwest, killing one

Actual headline:

Rare January outbreak of tornadoes rakes the Midwest, killing one

I am tired.

Obama fever

Can someone explain the Obama craze that has gripped our nation, please? Don't get me wrong, if he wins the nomination and is on the ballot come this fall, I will without a doubt vote for him. But what am I missing? Why do I not find his message of change and hope particularly captivating? Isn't being the first female president EVER the biggest change of all? A WOMAN PRESIDENT.

Following are quotes from two op-ed pieces in the New York Times that I've read recently that resonated with me.

Women Are Never Front-Runners by Gloria Steinem

"Gender is probably the most restricting force in American life, whether the question is who must be in the kitchen or who could be in the White House. This country is way down the list of countries electing women...

...the Iowa primary was following our historical pattern of making change. Black men were given the vote a half-century before women of any race were allowed to mark a ballot, and generally have ascended to positions of power, from the military to the boardroom, before any women....

So why is the sex barrier not taken as seriously as the racial one? The reasons are as pervasive as the air we breathe: because sexism is still confused with nature as racism once was; because anything that affects males is seen as more serious than anything that affects “only” the female half of the human race...and because there is still no “right” way to be a woman in public power without being considered a you-know-what.

I’m supporting Senator Clinton because like Senator Obama she has community organizing experience, but she also has more years in the Senate, an unprecedented eight years of on-the-job training in the White House, no masculinity to prove, the potential to tap a huge reservoir of this country’s talent by her example, and now even the courage to break the no-tears rule. I’m not opposing Mr. Obama; if he’s the nominee, I’ll volunteer...to clean up the mess left by President Bush, we may need two terms of President Clinton and two of President Obama.

But what worries me is that he is seen as unifying by his race while she is seen as divisive by her sex.

What worries me is that she is accused of “playing the gender card” when citing the old boys’ club, while he is seen as unifying by citing civil rights confrontations.

...We have to be able to say: “I’m supporting her because she’ll be a great president and because she’s a woman.”

It Takes a Family (to Break a Glass Ceiling) by Kerry Howley

"If you’ve ever wondered why India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan and the Philippines seem readier to elect women than does the United States, here’s your answer: Societies that value a candidate’s family affiliation, and therefore have a history of nepotistic succession, are often open to female leadership so long as it bears the right brand. Benazir Bhutto, Indira Gandhi and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, among many others, slashed through gender barriers on the strength of their family names...

To some voters, Hillary Clinton’s husband provides reassurance that the “calculating” senator from New York won’t degenerate into a feminine hysteric if she is elected to the White House. Yet Mrs. Clinton, the first woman who is a serious contender for the presidential nomination of one of the nation’s two major political parties, still has to work overtime to prove herself non-threatening. She clings to the political center like a life raft and rarely ventures from the shallow waters of establishment predictability.

Social psychologists have found that women in leadership roles are typically seen as either warm, likable and incompetent, or cold, distant and competent. To be a strong, competent woman is to be something culturally unattractive, which probably says something about why few American women even aspire to political office. Worldwide, even popular female politicians — Margaret Thatcher, Golda Meir, Angela Merkel — are slapped with the moniker “iron lady."...

The best way to convince voters that women leaders are fully human — likable and competent at times, unlikable and incompetent at others — is to fill the world with more of them."

Firmly on the left

Thanks to Cathy for posting the link to the Presidential Candidate Matching Quiz 2008. No surprise here, I am firmly on the left with the top three democratic front-runners at the top of my list.

My results:
86% John Edwards
85% Barack Obama
83% Hillary Clinton
83% Bill Richardson
82% Chris Dodd
79% Mike Gravel
74% Joe Biden
72% Dennis Kucinich
45% Rudy Giuliani
40% John McCain
35% Mike Huckabee
32% Tom Tancredo
29% Mitt Romney
23% Fred Thompson
20% Ron Paul


Darr's results:
84% Mike Gravel
80% Dennis Kucinich
80% Bill Richardson
77% Barack Obama
77% Chris Dodd
74% John Edwards
73% Hillary Clinton
71% Joe Biden
42% Rudy Giuliani
42% John McCain
40% Ron Paul
36% Mike Huckabee
31% Mitt Romney
24% Tom Tancredo
23% Fred Thompson


Um, yeah, who is Mike Gravel?

There's poo on you!

I can't remember the last time somebody pointed at me and said "poo on you!", but I imagine it was around the fourth grade.

Anyway, it happened tonight. Christie pointed at me and cried: "There is poo on you!". And dear readers, this was no metaphor.

I guess we just chalk this up to The Joys of Parenthood.

I can't believe it took us this long

Considering how long we've been on the planet as fry-eating humans, it is amazing it took us this long to get a deep fryer. This past Christmas, mom and dad bought me a Presto Fry Daddy and yesterday, while hanging out with the kid at the condo, we took that lovely device out for a test drive. We didn't have any vegetable oil but, thanks to Darr's knowledge of Mario Batali's cooking methods, we were able to confidently substitute olive oil. Fry we did, my friends, fry we did. And the French fries turned out fabulously. Golden, delicious potato goodness. For me, the best part is that they taste exactly like the ones my mom used to make when we were growing up. Yum.

Deep Thoughts by Henry

News: Holy crap, he slept in his crib!

Yeah, it was purely unintentional. Monsieur Henri was a tad fussy around eight o'clock last night so he was fed, burped, cleaned up after puking, and placed in his crib for a quick nap before bedtime. Thing is, he continued to sleep. He was asleep after I woke up from a little doze of my own. He was asleep when Darr and I decided it was time for us to hit the sack around midnight. He was asleep when we checked on him at 1am. Still sleeping when we checked on him again around 3am. Asleep when I got up around 4:30am to make sure everything was okay...

Darr: "Did you poke him?"
Me: "No, but I saw him move."

He slept all the way until six in the morn when, after seeing a sliver of one eyeball as he stretched his little arms above his head, I woke him the rest of the way up to feed him. I brought him into our room and when he finished breakfast he promptly, can't believe it myself, went back to sleep.

I don't know if the trip to Saint Cupcake yesterday to meet Ms. A and E was the cause of The Great Sleep of 2008 or what but, holy schnikes, I hardly slept at all. We may have to move the crib into our room so I'm not constantly going back and forth to check on him, which I did all through the night, even though the baby monitor was sitting on my nightstand.

Holy Crap It's 2008

SPOILER ALERT: This post outlines a gift I made for mom and dad. If you are a member of my family, please do not tell mom and dad about this gift. If you are mom or dad, stop reading this post and back away from the computer.

Holy crap it's 2008. Which makes the calendar I've been working on late. But, thanks to next day air delivery capabilities I can still have this to my parents by the second week of January. It's a belated Christmas gift. They don't read this blog regularly enough for me to worry about blowing the surprise. Here's the finished product:











I didn't have enough embellishments to highlight the birthdays of everyone in the family so I made a couple birthday identifiers using Velcro. This way the birthday identifier can be moved to the next month and placed on another birthday. April is the busiest month in my family with four birthdays. I included the regular holidays - Easter, Halloween, etc., along with Mother's and Father's Day. I even found a sticker I had so I could point out when Daylight Savings Time started.