Animal

Duck with chicken legs

Old friends at the Zoo

The flu (yes, I think it was) is behind me.  I didn't have the all-better "bust out the happy music and bright colors" reunion with life that I was anticipating which I think has something to do with M's new sleeping habits.  As in, she is now sleeping through the night more than she isn't.  Hmmm, you wonder, shouldn't you be sleeping better now that you don't have a 23 lb octopus creature thrashing about next to you?  I should clarify our previous mode of sleep - which was M starting the night off in her crib, waking up between 11pm and 1am, at which point we would take her to bed with us.  Now it's more typical that she stays sleeping in her crib (or tent) until 6 or 7am.  I think that I am still adjusting to sleeping without her and, for the time being, I am sleeping much more lightly.  That freaky Asian (this is a big part of her identity, I don't think I'm being out of line) lady forever ruined the phrase "Tiger Mom", or anything similar, and at times like this I think of myself as what could have formerly been referred to as a "Tiger Mom".  By this I mean: I'm an animal.  I sleep less well when my young is in the other room.  I'm sure this will pass, but in the meantime, I'm a little groggy.  Some pictures from the past few days...

John Holt - Educational and Social Critic

Have you ever been playing with a toddler and asked them a question that you know they know the answer to (Where is your belly button? What does a dog say?) and instead of answering the question they get agitated or look at you blankly?  According to John Holt, the blank stare or agitation is because the child is either insulted by the unsolicited quizzing and/or you’ve made them question if they really do know the answer – since apparently you don’t have faith that they know.  Their passion for learning is dampened.  From Holt’s book How Children Learn: Even in the rare case when a child does not react defensively to questions, too much quizzing is likely to make him begin to think that learning does not mean figuring out how things work, but getting and giving answers that please grownups. On teaching children when they haven’t asked to be taught –or when they wanted to do something by themselves: If in our eagerness to teach and help them, we send them enough of these messages of doubt and distrust, we may soon destroy most of all of their confidence in their ability to learn for themselves, and convince them that they really are too lazy, incurious, and stupid to learn.  We will have made our fears come true. Holt takes an extreme view against school, advocating home-schooling instead.  I’m about half way through reading How Children Learn and while we are not going to home-school M, the book offers a lot to think about.  I’m on a quest to understand the what and why of the varied approaches to educating children that are available to us, starting with preschool.  Stay tuned.  I'll do my best to keep the pictures cute...

180

Knock on wood, amazingly, slowly but surely this sleeping through the night thing seems to be sticking.  She's been asking to get into her crib.  Then, her small tent became part of the equation - twice now she has opted to hop in at bedtime and call it a night.  A few minutes ago, when I went in to check on her/take a picture of her she had partially exited.  I was able to put her back in and she didn't wake up.  Somehow my light sleeper has done a 180.  I'm speechless.

with blankets added outside in case she flops out again

Ice Cream and Toes

As of last night, I too have some nasty bug.  My skin and bones hurt and my nose is running.  I feel like dog doo.  However, it was hard to be miserable today considering the balmy conditions outside!

It was an unusual two-nap kind of day for M (last night was another doozy and she is still feeling like dog doo herself).  For the second nap we went to the park. When timed correctly, usually the dull roar of NYC and the cozy stroller cocoon have M catching flies within minutes of hitting the sidewalk, but today she held out a bit longer.  Maybe she was reading my mind.  I set our destination as the Tavern on the Green food trucks.  As we got closer, I noticed a craving for ice cream (maybe she is controlling my mind).  The Van Leeuwen truck was calling my name and a cone of cinnamon ice cream was manna.  M dominated the small spoon and did her share of damage.

I like everything about Hipstamatic except for the fuzzy edge which I can't seem to get rid of...

Minutes after taking a last lick, she was out cold.  I sat on a bench at the south end of the ballfields and read my book (How Children Learn by John Holt - a small part of a big topic for a later date).

As if things weren't lovely enough - my sister texted to ask, was I in the park?  Yes!  This is what I crave, sweet easy-ness.  She is sick too, so us three sickies made a slow descent back to the outer world.  M was awake at this point and asked repeatedly to walk, so we let her.  She walked down a slope covered in ice (only fell once) and immersed her feet in frigid water.  Before you call DCS, she totally enjoyed herself and I did scoop her up after a short while and put her back in the stroller - and replaced her wet footwear with a cozy dry pair of wool socks.  R is back from London tonight and as soon as I kick this achy nastiness, we'll officially be back on top!

small mouse on slippery slope

with the auntie she calls "Yanni"

Good Stuff

M is still under the weather and my wit has run out.  Unveiled complaining is not very attractive so I'm going to focus on the good stuff.

Today, she had her first foot spa and made out with herself (not a first).  A girl needs some pampering once in awhile!

13 Hours

I'm dreaming of this

Last night was epic, one for the history books and if Mamas are eligible for gold stars, could I have some please?  The letter M can now stand for Magnet.  Poor thing, I think it’s a teething and cold double whammy – in layman’s terms we can call it an acute case of “don’t put me down, Mama!”  From the time she closed her eyes at 6:30 pm, we were touching for a solid 13 hours, save my intermittent attempts to transfer her off of me.  Remember my pledge to drink lots of water?  Yes, we “went” together.  The cold is really in her throat so the cries are pretty much unbearable (sounds like a barking seal).  In a desperate attempt to eat my own dinner, digging deep into the advanced move category, I got into the crib with her.  I got INTO the crib WITH her.  This totally worked until I climbed out, at which point she sprang back to life.  Despite her feeble state she has a newfound obsession with drinking directly from a grownup glass (held by her and only her).  This happened pretty much every time she woke up (I swear it seemed like every 15 minutes).  I’m not sure if it’s intentional or not, but after taking a sip she frequently slams the glass down with both hands like she’s just taken her fifth shot.  Nerve wracking - and wet.  Neither of us had much pep this morning but her fever was lower at least. 

In case you are genuinely worried, we went to Dr. G yesterday and ears, throat and chest were checked and it’s nothing more than a garden-variety virus, which should pass within a few days.  "Few days", I'm begging you to please fly by.

...and this

Love and Temperature

In a semi-state of denial, M and I went to the park twice today.  It was clear when we returned from the second outing that she was not feeling her best.  Her temperature of 103.8 confirmed this.  I was focused on the other temperature - the one outside - a snow melting, hat shedding 55!  We had a glorious reunion with our favorite playground and, while I did see some signs earlier in the day that things might be going south for my wee Valentine, I think the fresh air was good nonetheless.  She was asleep in her crib by 6:30, hopped up on ibuprofen.  I had two hours to myself.  Scroll down for the rest of the story.

Our family Valentine, the three of us made it together.  M's process is subtractive.

My little chicken legs.   Remember the butter post?

dance moves

alright

deli flowers

Lenny's #11 Vegetarian Special, add mozz and Russian dressing

fluid intake! 

teething too,  poor baby

Valentine piano.  I ordered this online - I wasn't expecting it to be quite so mini.

8:57 pm - and the reason this post is going up as-is.

Cereal and Other Random Topics

We went back to the Zoo on Sunday.  The goats are still #1, but M's identification of the seals (they were actually sea lions, because they have small ears, but I hadn't read the sign yet) seemed worthy of posting a first video.  

On the topic of cereal, I am happy to report that the rice cooker is earning its keep.  I can't take full credit for this "recipe" because my dad is the source -- and it might not really be a recipe since there are only three ingredients.  Basically, as cooking begins, add a dash of cinnamon and a sliced apple to any form of oats (steel cut or whole are best) and you've just taken breakfast to the next level.  For M's sake, I peel the apple, but you don't have to if you are cooking for someone with a full set of teeth.  

Moving on to other random topics.  I've been in a sugar coma for the past few days.  The aforementioned brown sugar blondies started the bender and then I made cookies.  It got so bad that R took the ziploc bag of remaining poison to his office (on Sunday!).  Yes, those are crab shaped cookies, representing my astrological sign (the cutters were a gift).  I don't own any heart shaped cutters so I had to freestyle - which was time consuming - so I reverted to the cutters I had on hand (the star was the most neutral of my Christmas cutters)...  

R is away this week so I plan to ride the wave of low standards that began last week.  This also means I will (try to) be more methodical about everything, including but not limited to: going to bed at a decent hour, drinking extra water, setting up the coffee the night before (I'm a decaf junkie), hiding half of M's toys so there are less to put away at the end of the day, making sure my phone and computer are charging every night...  Basically, keep my s#*t together.  Sounds like a blast, right?  Actually, there is something really satisfying about this mode.  Plus, despite missing him, we are going to have a fabulous week, starting with a lot of love on Valentine's Day.  

Contrary to operation low standards, I cracked open a (grownup) book this weekend.  Naomi Klein's The Shock Doctrine.  It's very well written and, by page 25 (incidentally the "introduction"), I felt that she had clearly stated her case (with reasonably fleshed out examples) which seems disturbingly real.  I get it.  In line with operation low standards, I'm not convinced that I need to continue reading the book.  I am not proud of this.  A post for another time is: all the books I am currently reading.  

In the random spirit of this post, I happened to look through old pictures in my "photo booth".  Here are two.  The first is from several years ago, pre-kid.  It cracks me up every time.  The second is from when M was just a small frog.  So sweet.

Brown Sugar Blondies

This week I had one of those days. The kid wasn't sleeping (after I publicly bragged about her new sleep skills, nonetheless).  I woke up tired.  I went to print some pictures and my coffee cup went flying across the carpet (did I put the cup on the printer somehow?  I still don't know).  Simple errands seemed to take twice as long as they should have. Some other stuff too.  It just felt like there was a gray cloud on top of me all of a sudden.  I didn't want any of this to be a post topic.  When I tried to write, it felt like I was attempting to twist my crappy day into something bright and fuzzy.  I'm not that good.  As an insurance policy against the gray cloud, for the short term, I've lowered my standards.  This is a really longwinded way of saying that tonight I made some Brown Sugar Blondies FROM A MIX. Contrarian, reinvent the wheel, me.  And they are freaking delicious.  Joining never tasted so good.

Baby is Back

Follow up to yesterday - independent sleep remains elusive.  !@#$%^&*()!

Sweet Sleep

At the risk of "jinxing it", there have been major developments with M's independent sleeping.  As in, last night she slept in her crib until 7am!  The nature of infant/toddler sleep is perhaps the most fretted over and controversial topic I have encountered thus far as a parent.  I will spare you the details of my experiences and opinions.  Just to say, I am very proud of the little miss and her recent accomplishments, which she has reached at her own pace.

Central Park Zoo

Petting Zoo! 

With the goats - favorite part of the Zoo, hands down.  Lots of high pitched noises.  I'm a little nervous for M's fingers here, but thankfully this was a very easy going goat who must be accustomed to having his nose picked by children.

Other favorite part of the Zoo, walking back and forth on this patch of snow for 20 minutes.  Crunchy!
Putting her in white converse sneakers was a bit premature.

"Da-dat!"

Bare Toes

Today, I stepped outside barefoot on to our terrace to save the remains of a six pack from warming up in the sun.  My bare feet and the melting snow whacked me over the head with a wave of nostalgia.  According to Wikipedia, personal blogging "can have a sentimental quality".  So, here we go.  Growing up, we spent an inordinate amount of time outside.  In place of TV was the vast outdoors - two ponds, rambling brooks and swamps, mountains (actually just hills), an assortment of fowl, and an extensive system of former logging trails that snaked through the neighboring woods.  Running free was a given.  Today brought me back to being a kid on a day when it was just starting to feel warm enough to shed a layer or two, maybe a sweater at first, later a jacket.  The warming sun would offer encouragement and before long perhaps shoes and socks came off too.  There would still be a few pockets of snow here and there and the squishy ground was ridiculously cold but felt so exciting on bare toes.  Within minutes, the feet went numb, but enthusiasm soared.

Cigarette Lighters and Puffed Hearts

My new jewelry class started today.  I have big dreams.  Dreams so big that last week I was debating if I should even take this class or just dive in to designing my own line straight away. 

first ring from wax, circa 2008

Background - I’ve taken a variety of jewelry classes since I was in high school and always liked, but didn’t necessarily love, the sawing, sanding, soldering process.  Several years ago I signed up for another class with a private studio in Brooklyn.  The structure of this program was extremely loosey-goosey which suited me really well, given my hectic work schedule.  I also found the “anything goes” attitude to be very nurturing to my intuitive ways.  I loved that I could start a piece with one idea and have it come out completely different than I expected – with no one hovering over my shoulder chiding me for changing gears on a whim.  The first project was to make a ring out of wax, which would then be cast in metal (silver or gold).  My initial efforts were tentative, but quickly I was hooked.  I would stay up late at night filing and melting (cigarette lighter as torch) wax into wild shapes – later bringing the wax shapes to a caster in the diamond district.  The caster makes a mold and pours molten metal into it – in a day or two mold and cast are ready to be picked up.   There is some minimal finishing work required (filing off the sprue and polishing) but I found the medium to be extremely accessible and appealing to me (as I seem to be repeating).  Once you have the mold, you can make endless copies.  Again, pretty cool.  Over time, I became fairly confident and even cast some pieces in 18k gold, many of which I am proud to wear.

a favorite cigarette lighter ring

humble new beginnings

   

My current class is devoted exclusively to working in wax.  Right off, the teacher describes her approach as “mechanical”.  Her example of something “organic” is a meticulously rendered leaf.  My cigarette lighter technique is definitely not in the curriculum.  Many thoughts went through my head as she described the first project.  We will be making a little puffed half heart that is hollow.  It is to be perfectly symmetrical.  My butt is going to get kicked by this wee heart.  I won’t elaborate on all of the thoughts that I had.  I had two productive thoughts:

1. This will make a really nice charm for my dear daughter, thief of my heart, and she won't care if it's not 100% perfect.

2. I hope that by the end of this class if I do not go on to make a career of meticulously rendering symmetrical objects in wax, it will be out of choice, not lack of ability.

Exhale.

In other news, after bashing the weather this morning, I was pleasantly surprised by the almost mild conditions outside.  The tip of my nose was cold, for sure, but I got by with a thick sweater and raincoat and wasn't miserable.  I think the rodent gurus were right on the money!  After class (which is on the Upper East Side), I walked down Madison Avenue.  It’s really like a different city up and over there.  They practically speak a different dialect.  I love this about New York. 

gorgeous flowers on the upper east

I came home to a fed, bathed and happy baby girl who went to sleep without a fight.  Dinner for me was leftover chicken and fish sticks, with a side of (cold) sautéed sweet potatoes.  On this note, I am excited to try some recipes on "Prep Ahead and Dine In" soon.  This is a recipe blog geared toward busy families who want to kick the take-out habit without sacrificing quality (genius) written by an old friend from middle school (oh, Facebook).  Her family is adorable and the recipes look super yummy!

My dear R is still flipping burgers out of town.  I'm looking forward to his return and, hopefully with it, some greater accountability on the chow front.  

a year ago