GreenePiece

never mind your input

2009-02-26T16:49:00.002-05:00

I'm moving to WordPress.

New address:

greenepiece.wordpress.com

(Note that there is no hyphen!)

See you there.

should I move my blog?

2009-02-26T16:24:00.001-05:00

I'm contemplating a move to WordPress. I can import all of the stuff from this blog, so I wouldn't lose anything...but will it be too confusing for my vast readership? If you have an opinion, let me know! I like WordPress but I don't want to lose my readers.

Wednesday reading--T.C. Boyle

2009-02-25T11:47:00.001-05:00

I'm reading "The Road to Wellville." I've never read any T.C. Boyle but we have several--so I decided I should read one so that we would know whether or not to keep them. Anyway, I am almost done with it and I have really enjoyed it. Partly it's the novelty of reading about Battle Creek (near my hometown) and partly it's just that I like the writing. The story itself is nothing much but the style is great, and the characterization is skillful. There's something kind of "White Noise"-like about it.

how you can tell Wesley is a second child

2009-02-24T23:37:00.000-05:00

I was changing Mary's diaper earlier and I didn't have a free hand. I glanced over to make sure Wesley was okay and found that he was chewing on my shoe. I shrugged, thought, "Whatever," and went back to changing the diaper.

I mean, after all, he'd already tasted the dirt. It's not like he was going to get MORE dirt if he kept chewing on it.

video extravaganza

2009-02-24T16:43:00.003-05:00

Here are a few videos that I have been sort of lazy about uploading. (Our laptop was ridiculously full--we finally got a hard drive to dump some stuff onto.) Anyway. Behold the cuteness.

Wesley, courting disaster by playing with Miss Crabby (Mary's special most-loved toy):

Mary and Grandma Cal dancing--this is from my parents' last visit, which was a long time ago (November?):

And this is quite recent--Mary dancing while Conor plays the song "A Quick One While He's Away," by The Who. Wesley looks on and occasionally interferes.

Another from the same night, showing off Wesley's dancing--for some reason this is quite blurry. I'll try to get another soon.

Mary says,

2009-02-23T12:52:00.000-05:00

"Moses supposes his toeses are roses."

they do look alike!

2009-02-20T17:51:00.002-05:00

So I ran across this photo of Mary at almost exactly the age Wesley is now. Compare:

Funny how much Mary looks like a girl, though, and Wesley like a boy.

Dear Mary,

2009-02-19T23:16:00.001-05:00

the special treat I made is called a cupcake.

Not a buttcake.

perversity

2009-02-18T22:48:00.002-05:00

So, remember when I made Mary a patchwork cube for Christmas? (No? This one.)

Well, Mary never really cared much about it--she had a brief span of playing with it when she was about 1-1/2 and that's it.

Now Wesley loves it and suddenly it's her favorite toy.

And here is a bonus grin for you:

conversation this afternoon

2009-02-17T17:00:00.001-05:00

Me: Mary, do not even THINK about throwing that J at your brother.
Mary: No throw at Wesley.
Me: That's right.
Mary [flinging a foam letter at Wesley's head]: Bad me!

I announce

2009-02-16T21:38:00.002-05:00

that Wesley can crawl and eat crackers. He says, "Viva the revolution!"

On Saturday, Sean and Ginger came to visit, with their daughter Mackenzie, who is just barely younger than Wesley.

Babies do not actually play together. They just play in the same vicinity.

Mackenzie was cute.

Mary was cute.

Wesley was cute.

full tub

2009-02-12T17:23:00.001-05:00

general notes

2009-02-12T12:18:00.003-05:00

1) If I ever use the term "LOL"--online or anywhere else--you have permission to give me a hearty slap on the face.

2) Wesley is flirting with disaster--he is cuddling Miss Crabby. When Mary notices, he's going to wish he had never been born. It's really cute, though.

3) I love hot water. I love having hot water just run out of the tap whenever I turn it on. It's so...hot. And watery.

4) Have you been to the Pioneer Woman's site lately? You will get fat just reading this.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/02/sweets-for-your-sweetie-1-delicious-baked-fudge/

Come on. Baked fudge?

Wesley update!

2009-02-09T21:03:00.002-05:00

So we had Wesley's "6 month" checkup today (he is totally 7 months old). He weighs 20 pounds, 4 ounces; is 29.5 inches long; and has a gigantic (19.5 inches around) noggin. Huge head. Anyway, he is very healthy and making enormous strides in the "almost crawling for real" department. Mostly he moves around by sitting up, then flopping over and getting things that I am absolutely sure are too far away for him to reach. 29.5 inches is long!

In other kid news, Mary is taking baths again! She went through this phase of refusing to be in the tub, refusing to get wet, and having complete hysterics if we tried to get her to take a bath, or, even worse, wash her hair.

Well, we changed all that. Now we bribe her. A bath earns one Smartie; hair washing earns a second one. She begs to bathe. (Conor spent a while one night unwrapping 40 rolls of Smarties and emptying them into a jar.)

I don't believe in bribery. However, I don't want her to smell.

success!

2009-02-06T13:25:00.002-05:00

Both of my kids are napping. At the same time. In their cribs. I am a parenting goddess!

We live in a lesser era.

2009-02-05T21:18:00.000-05:00

I was perusing a copy of "The Joy of Cooking" that is a facsimile of the first edition. It includes a recipe for "Emergency Quick Aspic."

Have YOU ever had an aspic emergency?

a few more Texas pics

2009-02-02T19:30:00.004-05:00

Finally, a few more photos:

my favorite picture of Wesley and me ever:

Riley (and a disappearing dog):

Wesley and Jack:

I cannot even tell you how much I love this picture:

Mary and Riley totally wiped out on New Year's Eve:

Mary with super-cute hair:

Wesley and Mike at a Vietnamese restaurant:

Mary eating Conor's curry at said Vietnamese restaurant:

Wesley at 6 months:

Jack and Molly at the zoo (really grown-up, aren't they?):

a few things

2009-02-02T19:04:00.000-05:00

1) Mary's latest new song is "Singin' in the Rain" and she has taken to singing it while wiggling her butt and waving her arms in the air exactly like a drunk sorority girl. I fear for the future.

2) I record for you, verbatim, her side of a "phone call" placed on a toy phone this afternoon.

"Hi. Is zis Conor? I eat an egg. New diaper. Is zis Conor? Have good day. Is zis Conor?"

long pause

"Wessy cry. He's sleepy-tired. I know! I know!"

hysterical laughter

"Well, have a good day, honey."

3) Wesley is passionately in love with Mary's doll (which my friend E.V. made and sent to her). When Mary lets the doll within his reach, he immediately does whatever he can do to get to her--rolls over, scootches along the floor, etc. I think he believes she is the sanest person in this house.

999 update

2009-02-02T11:32:00.002-05:00

So I am making slow progress here....because of @#$#$ Anthony Burgess.

He is So Boring.

Seriously.

I just finished volume 1 of his memoirs ("Little Wilson and Big God") and there's another entire volume on my list! He is very dull and I am annoyed with him. I thought these were going to be fun reads.

I also read "The Castle of Otranto" by Horace Walpole, which is dreadful but at least interesting. It's an early Gothic novel (late 1700s). Contains a lot about "Matilda's beauteous form" and characters saying things like "Forbear! It cannot be, for you are in mortal peril!"

garden!

2009-01-26T11:24:00.002-05:00

I ordered my seeds!

Here's what we're growing:

Brandywine Red Tomato

Marketmore 76 Slicing Cucumber

Serrano Chili Pepper

Scallop Summer Squash Yellow Bush

Golden Summer Crookneck Squash

Marigold, Giant African

Rudbeckia, Black Eyed Susan

Jersey Knight 1 Year Old Asparagus Crowns

Blue Lake Pole Bean

Chrysanthemum, Shasta Daisy

The Best in Taste Tomato Collection: Black from Tula, Brandywine Pink, Cherokee Purple, Caspian Pink, Yellow Marble

Springtime Harvest Collection: Green Sprouting Broccoli, Salad Greens Mix, Heirloom Acres Lettuce Mix, Evergreen Bunching Onion, Cherry Belle Radish, Blommsdale Spinach, Lucullus Swiss Chard and Mammoth Melting Snow Peas

Sweet Pea, Everlasting

One down, 80 to go!

2009-01-24T11:00:00.001-05:00

I read the first installment of my 9*9*9 list--Daniel Boorstin's "The Image." Conor's been bugging me to read it for ages, so I finished it the night before the inauguration. It's really good. Smart, lucid, and absolutely accurate. It was a particularly interesting read before the inauguration hoopla.

why do my kids always like the most expensive foods?

2009-01-20T23:21:00.001-05:00

Mary always did this to me too--she didn't like green beans, but loved asparagus and artichokes. Now I find that Wesley is totally into avocados. Why not bananas?!

just an ordinary day....

2009-01-20T23:05:00.002-05:00

...but so happy!

Going to the gym: happy.
Changing diapers: happy.
Reading a book: happy.
Even, washing dishes with no hot water: still happy.

hunger strike over

2009-01-14T23:44:00.002-05:00

So, Wesley had the same stomach bug that Mary had. For several days he hasn't been hungry at all; he's nursed 24/7 but not wanted bottles.

Today (and last night) he was hungry again, but he didn't want formula. He just wanted to nurse, nurse, nurse. But he was HUNGRY. Cue the grumpy grousing noises here. He's been so angry all day--wants to nurse, wants to eat, doesn't want formula, repeat.

About an hour ago he caved and drank the formula. He drank 7 ounces and now he's laying next to me with a replete, milky grin, barely able to move.

999

2009-01-13T17:55:00.004-05:00

I'm doing a reading challenge--nine books in each of nine categories in 2009. I think I've selected things that will stretch me enough to read things I might not otherwise read, without being too esoteric so that I get bored. Here's my list!

literary biography
* Zdzislaw Najder, "Joseph Conrad: A Life"
* Anthony Burgess, "Little Wilson and Big God"
* Anthony Burgess, "You've Had Your Time"
* Richard Ellman, "James Joyce"
* Philip Hoare, "Oscar Wilde's Last Stand"
* Rebecca West, "The Young Rebecca"
* Evelyn Waugh, "Msgr. Ronald Knox"
* Graham Greene, "Lord Rochester's Monkey"
* Hermione Lee, "Virginia Woolf"

gothic
* Ann Radcliffe, "Mysteries of Udolpho"
* Daphne DuMaurier, "Jamaica Inn"
* Horace Walpole, "The Castle of Otranto"
* John Polidori, "The Vampyre"
* Charlotte Bronte, "Jane Eyre"
* Emily Bronte, "Wuthering Heights"
* William Thomas Beckford, "Vathek"
* Charles Dickens, "The Mystery of Edwin Drood"
* Eric Nuzum, "The Dead Travel Fast"

history
* Neil Sheehan, "A Bright Shining Lie"
* Stanley Kurnow, "Vietnam: A History"
* Daniel J. Boorstin, "The Image"--DONE!
* Alfred McCoy, "Politics of Heroin"
* John Burrow, "History of Histories"
* Howard Zinn, "People's History of the United States"
* Evan S. Connell, "Son of the Morning Star"
* Lester J. Cappon, ed., "The Adams-Jefferson Letters"
* Frances Fitzgerald, "Fire in the Lake"

Conrad/James Stories
* James's short stories (5 vols)
* Conrad's tales (4 vols)

books Conor wants me to read
* Robert K. Merton, "On the Shoulders of Giants"
* Homer (trans. Robert Fagles), "The Iliad"
* Janet Malcolm, "Journalist and the Murderer"
* Herodotus, "The Histories"
* Michael Cook, "A Brief History of the Human Race"
* Rudolph Fisher, "The Conjure-Man Dies"
* Andrew George, trans., "Epic of Gilgamesh"
* Frances Yates, "Art of Memory"
* Susan Sontag, "Illness as Metaphor/AIDS and Its Metaphors"
(Conor suggested both "Iliad" and "Odyssey," but I rule that he has suggested enough huge sagas.)

British History/Culture
* R.S. Neale, "Bath"
* Kingsley Amis, "James Bond Dossier"
* Stephen Dorril, "MI6"
* S. Schoenbaum, "Lives of Shakespeare"
* W. H. Auden, "Lectures on Shakespeare"
* A. W. Brian Simpson, "Cannibalism and the Common Law"
* Richard Gilman, "Decadence: The Curious Life of an Epithet"
* Lytton Strachey, "Eminent Victorians"
* Edward Said, "Orientalism"

Graham Greene biographies
* Graham Greene, "A Life in Letters"
* Michael Shelden, "The Enemy Within"
* Leopold Duran, "Graham Greene: An Intimate Portrait by His Closest Friend and Confidant"
* Yvonne Cloetta, "In Search of a Beginning: My Life with Graham Greene"
* A. F. Cassis, "Graham Greene: Man of Paradox"
* William Cash, "The Third Woman"
* Henry J. Donaghy, "Conversations with Graham Greene"
* Marie-Francoise Allain, "The Other Man"
* Neil Sinyard, "Graham Greene: A Literary Life"

psychology/linguistics
* Stanley Milgram, "Obedience to Authority"
* William James, "Varieties of Religious Experience"
* William James, "Pragmatism"
* William James, "Principles of Psychology" (2 vols)
* Kay Redfield Jameson, "Exuberance"
* "Saying No"
* Humez & Humez, "ABC, Etc."
* Humez & Humez, "Alpha to Omega"

Engineering/Science
* Edward Allen and David Swoboda, "How Buildings Work"
* Henry Petroski, "The Pencil"
* Henry Petroski, "The Toothpick"
* Harold McGee, "On Food and Cooking"
* Harold McGee, "The Curious Cook"
* Henry Petroski, "Success Through Failure"
* Richard Rhodes, "Dark Sun"
* Richard Rhodes, "The Making of the Atomic Bomb"
* Feynman, "Six Easy Pieces"

we have heat!

2009-01-13T16:39:00.001-05:00

That is all. More information will be available when I decide I can stop sitting on the radiator, rubbing my hands together and chortling with glee.

a couple of pics (sort of a preview)

2009-01-10T00:18:00.004-05:00

I have literally hundreds of El Paso pics but here are a couple to whet your appetite:

all five cousins (note the glee Mary has over her cookie--we used it to bribe her onto the couch):

From texas

Wesley--who is 6 months old!

From texas

Conor on New Year's Eve:

From texas

Mary eating Conor's yellow curry:

From texas

I love my husband (and Friday rant)

2009-01-09T23:49:00.004-05:00

So I have been home dealing with stupid homeownership crap all day and all of yesterday. Right now, Conor is playing with Mary and Wesley in the dining room and I am doing nothing. Well, this. That's all. It's awesome and even if it's three minutes I will SO take it.

I'm totally not sad to see this week over. On Monday we flew home from Texas. That was fine, oddly enough; Mary, who was a MONSTER on the way to El Paso, was fine. But we came home and walked into the house and Conor said, "Why is it so cold in here?" and I said, "Do you smell gas?" and we realized that our boiler had stopped working. We had to open windows and fan out the house in case of a gas problem and then sleep without heat.

So, if you've been keeping track--we now have no dishwasher, no dryer, no hot water, and no heat! With any luck we'll have all back by Monday, but right now my house is Really.Damn.Cold.

Then, to top it off, on the way home from the gym last night, I heard the unmistakable sound of Mary puking all down the front of herself, all over the car seat, all over the car. And she kept it up all night long, so I sat up with her all night. It was awful, and also cold. She is feeling better now but I am so done with this week.

news flash and suggestion request

2009-01-09T23:17:00.003-05:00

News flash:
Wesley crawled!

Also--thanks to Chris L., who has all kinds of good ideas--I have decided to do a 9*9*9 challenge this year--nine books in each of nine categories in 2009. Want to suggest a good category that I don't read enough of?

news flash!

2009-01-07T22:33:00.001-05:00

Wesley ate applesauce! He's officially eating real food!

He loved it, too. No uncertainty about the grown-up foods there. He cried when I took the spoon.

I will be a better blogger...

2009-01-04T23:30:00.002-05:00

...starting on Tuesday. I promise. We have had a whirlwind trip to El Paso, complete with visiting with David, Nina, and their brood, and I have pictures! I will upload them promptly and share the cuteness. Jack and Molly and Riley are so big I can't believe it. Jack's a real kid, not a toddler (he even wears glasses!). Mary and Riley formed some sort of subversive coalition and are plotting to take over the world. Sample meeting:

Riley: Gar! (points at toy car)
Mary: Bo bobo bobobobobo yammer yammer Grandma bobo bo bo.
Riley: [grunt] Gardedededede yummel dee. Swip.
Mary: Cookie!

Both children then knock over a tower of blocks and cheer jubilantly. I believe they were rehearsing a coup d'etat. I'm just not sure which country.

five years ago...

2009-01-04T02:01:00.002-05:00

We are old!

vacation reading

2009-01-03T00:10:00.002-05:00

So I am in El Paso, sleeping in Mike and Sandy's library. Because I knew I would be sleeping here, I didn't bring any books aside from dissertation stuff. So I have read a bunch of Agatha Christie ("Hallowe'en Party" and "Hickory Dickory Death," to name two). And then I rang in the New Year reading....Dick Francis.

He really isn't any better than I remember. I read "Under Orders" and it just radiates mediocrity.

gratuitous pictures of kids!

2008-12-24T11:26:00.003-05:00

We are on our way out for Christmas; no time for a real blog. But a couple of pictures from recent days:

Mary being soulful:

From New Album 12/23/08 9:16 PM

Wesley asleep:

From New Album 12/23/08 9:16 PM

...and awake:

From New Album 12/23/08 9:16 PM

Mary stuffing her face:

From New Album 12/23/08 9:16 PM

movie rec and gossip!

2008-12-21T23:55:00.003-05:00

Two items: first and foremost, my friend Linda is engaged! I approve of her choice, which is of course of the utmost importance. So yay!

Second item: if you have not seen the film "Be Kind, Rewind," you really, really should. But not if you're really looking for plot. People I expect to love this movie include Suz, Liz, and Kevin. But maybe not anyone related to me--you would probably think it's weird, sort of like "The Life Aquatic."

hey Suz--

2008-12-17T17:29:00.002-05:00

Remember when we were in high school and your car had a rust spot or a ding or something, and you decided to touch it up with automotive paint, then the paint turned out to be a really different color of gray and so you decided to paint "Woodstock" across the trunk, but you ran out of room and it just said "Woods"?

Me too. That was funny.

Mary is a critical thinker!

2008-12-16T00:00:00.002-05:00

We watched some Dr. Who earlier. Mary watched the intro, in which the TARDIS is shaking around and acting like it's going to blow up. She said, "Is okay. Doctor fix it."

She's figured out the whole series!

catch-up blog

2008-12-11T21:20:00.003-05:00

It's the end of the semester--hence my unblogging. Anyway, here's a little rundown of some recent events.

My parents came to visit. Mary and Wesley had a GREAT time. Mary looooves Grandma and Grandpa's visits. Why? Well, she likes them. She also likes pancakes, which my mom always makes for her. The way to Mary's heart is through a bottle of maple syrup.

My mom held Wesley a bit:

From Grandpa Moo and Grandma Cal's visit

My dad held Wesley a lot:

From Grandpa Moo and Grandma Cal's visit

This is how they looked often. And let's not forget to point out that this is the bear suit. Mary wore the bear suit for months and months but Wesley's time in it is limited, I fear. He is larger than she was. Or the bear suit has shrunk.

They watched the kids so that Conor and I could go to see "Quantum of Solace" (which was awesome, by the way--I love Daniel Craig as Bond, as I may have mentioned before in this forum). Also so that I could whip up a pair of Christmas pants for each kid. (Does that crack you up? It cracks me up. What happened to me that I am doing this?)

From Grandpa Moo and Grandma Cal's visit

Please excuse the horribly unflattering photo of me--I am not really the color of a snowman in real life.

Grandpa and the kids chilled out and watched football:

From Grandpa Moo and Grandma Cal's visit

Wesley made turtle faces:

From Grandpa Moo and Grandma Cal's visit

And Conor and Wesley looked like one another--I'm not sure this picture conveys how much Wesley is growing to look like Conor:

From Grandpa Moo and Grandma Cal's visit

More to come; that's all the time I've got!

I interrupt my blog laziness to announce...

2008-12-11T20:34:00.002-05:00

....that we finally caught our mouse!

We have seven mousetraps. He found the ONE that is a live humane trap. I released him, after driving him several miles from our house. Yay!

babywearing, Grandpa-style

2008-12-02T18:32:00.001-05:00

wanna see what I am thankful for?

2008-11-27T12:06:00.002-05:00

From Grandma Moo and Grandma Cal's visit

top five most embarrassing breastfeeding moments

2008-11-25T14:47:00.003-05:00

So I didn't nurse Mary--I exclusively pumped for her. I didn't expect this many embarrassing results of nursing Wesley. Partly, this is because I already have a toddler. Anyway, five embarrassing moments:

1. The Most Embarrassing Thing That's Ever Happened.

2. Mary, who is on a kick of greeting and saying goodbye to everything, shouting, "'Bye, nipple!" in public every time Wesley is finished eating.

3. Wesley attempting to nurse from Father Scott during his baptism (Father Scott is so tall that Wesley was kind of nuzzling his navel through the priestly garments).

4. Wesley yanking my shirt down almost to MY navel during the recorded video session of the NIH child development experiment.

5. And last, but not least: Mary identifying the Sacred Heart of Jesus as a nipple. (Bonus points for sacrilegious embarrassment!)

the coolest thing I've ever made

2008-11-21T11:20:00.002-05:00

This is my new cell phone case:

From random pics and tardis

I am definitely the coolest kid in school now.

Wednesday reading--England Made Me

2008-11-19T22:10:00.003-05:00

I'm rereading Graham Greene's "England Made Me" (which I haven't read in quite some time and I needed to read again for dissertation purposes).

You know, it's not like anything else Greene wrote.

It's awesome, though.

A few pictures and a funny thing

2008-11-17T22:11:00.000-05:00

Today I said, "Mary, are you hungry?"
She said, "No, Mommy, I'm not hungry! I just want something to eat!"

A few recent pictures...

Last Friday, we had a rough day. Mary and Wesley looked like this:

From Last Import

But things improved. Here is Mary, reading a book to her bear:

From Last Import

Yes, it is one of the classics of lesbian noir literature. Why do you ask?

Here is Wesley drooling on Conor's head. Wesley doesn't have any teeth yet, but he certainly has the teething drool.

From Last Import

This is how Wesley holds on when he's on Conor's shoulders.

From Last Import

We went to a Natural Baby and Child Fair on Sunday. Afterward, we went to Red Lobster (mmmm....tastes like the Midwest...). We ordered Mary her own meal from the kids' menu. Usually she just eats from our plates, but she seemed hungry and neither of us felt like ordering french fries (which are her reason for going to restaurants). She totally justified getting her own meal--this is what was left of her popcorn shrimp and french fries:

From Last Import

She ate almost all of the shrimp. It was amazing. (And that was after eating some of the biscuits and bits of salads.) She's turning into such a grown-up.

Speaking of growing up...here is Wesley, sitting unassisted!

From Last Import

Check out the balancing hands:

From Last Import

They're both growing so fast that I can hardly believe it.

Wednesday reading--Henning Mankell

2008-11-12T20:41:00.002-05:00

Henning Mankell is a Swedish mystery writer. His series featuring Chief Inspector Kurt Wallander is really, really good, and here's why:
1) His police investigators make plausible, natural mistakes as well as plausible, excellent deductions.
2) Most of the novels include a smaller case or two that accompany the main (generally murder) mystery. It's a lot more realistic than to think that all other investigation would grind to a halt in order to investigate one case.
3) Wallander is a believable, genuine character.
4) Because he is a policeman, I believe that he can get the information he seems to get. Private investigators--well, I love to read about them, but I often feel like they're unrealistic because they seem to get as many doors opened as the police do.
5) The series poses a bigger general question: what is wrong with Sweden? Wallander makes a case that Sweden is becoming more troubled all the time, that the police don't know how to cope, and that the citizenry is both afraid and angry.
6) Mankell has a Graham Greene sort of feel in a lot of these books. As you all know, I am a sucker for that. The writing is quite spare; the main character is a non-hero; and there is a very clear assessment of what Wallander's talents are.

The latest books in the series also feature his daughter, Linda, as a policewoman. I like these, too, but maybe not as much as the earlier novels, which are just Wallander himself. Oddly enough, they were not translated in order, so what I'm reading right now is THE MAN WHO SMILED, which is not the latest that he has published in Sweden (indeed, I think it's from the 90s), but is the latest to be translated. So it's filling in gaps in the narrative for me, as I have already read a lot of the more recent ones.

I like his novel THE RETURN OF THE DANCING MASTER, too--it takes a minor character from the Wallander series and makes him the main character. I have to say, however, that I'm not getting into his novel, THE CHRONICLER OF THE WINDS. It has a different translator from any of the other novels, and maybe that's why--who knows?

Anyway, if you like mysteries, you owe it to yourself to check these out. The first is called FACELESS KILLERS and it is available in trade paperback. Just to warn you, though--the writer is Swedish, so all of the names of people sound like Ikea products. (I find myself thinking, "Aardven... sounds like a sofa table.")

one more post

2008-11-07T23:13:00.001-05:00

I know, it's like I'm making up for the whole week. I just wanted to link to this, which I love (Conor pointed it out to me):

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinions/cartoonsandvideos/telnaes/telnaes11052008.html

Friday rant: toddler screeching

2008-11-07T23:10:00.001-05:00

This "scream and then laugh hysterically while Wesley cries because it hurts his ears" phase cannot be over soon enough.

finally, Halloween pictures

2008-11-07T22:54:00.003-05:00

I didn't get any good ones of Mary, unfortunately. We had a rough night of it with her--first she decided that the flower collar I made for her costume was actually the Felt Ring of Immediate Death and refused to wear it. Conor sneaked it on her around her waist. She was also wearing green (you know, like stem and leaves) and, inexplicably, a tutu (she insisted).

Here she is, running from the camera.

Wesley was a spider. (Cue the "Boris the Spider" music--it's been in my head ever since, or at least it was until I watched that YouTube video with the reggae "Barack Obama" song.)

Here are our pumpkins--it was a bad photography week for some reason.

Once Wesley's spiderlegs were removed, he looked as though he had dressed up as a theater major:

A few other pictures: remember our long, annoying visit to the pediatrician for Wesley's checkup? I resorted to taking pictures to amuse Mary. Here is Wesley in his defective, one-tabbed disposable diaper:

And here is Mary, trying to read a magazine:

And Wesley again...waiting. How bored does he look?

Mary got a Halloween box from my parents (okay, both kids did, but let's be honest here--Mary just steals Wesley's stuff 90% of the time). She was very excited about her Chicago t-shirt:

And finally, a couple of cute ones of Wesley:

He's in the oral stage:

we have hands!

2008-11-07T00:02:00.001-05:00

Wesley just found his hands! Mary was a lot quicker on that one. Right now he has one hand in his mouth (well, the thumb) and the other in front of his face. He is turning it this way and that and saying, around his thumb, "ooo. oooo."

I am so happy.

2008-11-04T23:04:00.001-05:00

That is all.

We voted!

2008-11-04T12:40:00.001-05:00

And now we're all exhausted.

But it wasn't too bad--about 2 hours, or a little less, from car back to the car.

huge Wesley!

2008-10-29T20:28:00.002-05:00

Wesley had his 4-month well-baby checkup today and he weighs 16 pounds, 12 ounces! I can't believe that. Mary was nowhere near this big. He's also 26 inches long. Yikes!

We waited forEVER in the doctor's office. Why do medical offices seem to think it's okay to keep people waiting for ages? Our appointment was for 2:00. We left the office at 3:45 and that was after seeing the doctor for all of 2.5 minutes. What a ridiculous outing. And I ended up seeing the doctor we don't like instead of the PA we love. This is me griping about mismanagement.

By the time we got into the office Mary was a melty mess. She needed a new diaper (which I had left in the car, figuring we wouldn't be that long for a checkup). Wesley needed a new diaper. I had jammed an extra disposable diaper into the little bag I carry for short outings, so I changed him into it...only to discover that it only had a tab on one side! This is why I hate disposables. (Among other things.) So I had to stand around waiting, trying to placate Mary by holding her and dancing her around, while keeping a hand on Wesley to keep him on the exam table (and to keep his diaper covering the salient parts, as it wouldn't stay on by itself.)

Unfortunately we've tried a few pediatricians and none of them have been better, administratively. I guess I just need to plan ahead further and ask for the first appointment and insist on the PA instead of just "requesting" her.

Friday rant: rabbits

2008-10-24T21:58:00.003-05:00

A rabbit ate ALL of my new pea plants that were more than 1/3" tall! They're sheared off just above soil level. I guess I will be fencing in my beds.

no-complaining Thursday: my kids are cute

2008-10-23T18:34:00.003-05:00

Here are a few cute pictures from the past week. You are forewarned!

First of all, Wesley has grown into the outfit that my friend E.V. sent him. She ordered him a set of custom-made knitted pants, a matching hat, and a matching diaper (not visible in the picture). Is this, or is this not, the cutest thing you've ever seen?

Mary found a flower while we were taking pictures of Wesley in his outfit:

We also went to the pumpkin patch last weekend. They had a hay maze:

And a petting zoo:

And a hayride through the fields, including this soybean field:

It was cold.

We got to pick out our own pumpkins:

Wesley and I were there too.

Wednesday reading--Chris Bohjalian

2008-10-22T22:41:00.001-05:00

I just read "Double Bind."

Enh. That's all. I will not be keeping it or recommending it. I seem to recall liking "Midwives" when I read it, which was like in the 1990s I think, although it made me think I would never have kids (funny how getting pregnant changes one's mind about that). But this did not impress me and I found it predictable and victim-obsessed. Plus it ends badly.

This makes me feel like a pioneer goddess:

2008-10-22T22:30:00.002-05:00

From Last Import

goodbye, summer; hello, pesto

2008-10-21T01:05:00.001-05:00

We had a hard frost this morning, so I harvested this today and made pesto for dinner for tomorrow:

how to be a fabulous cook

2008-10-19T02:07:00.007-05:00

Forget Julia Child--now you can have my rules for being a great cook!

1) Use much garlic. Not garlic powder, garlic salt, or jarred garlic--garlic.
Sub-clause A: If you have a recipe that calls for garlic and you don't know how much to add, triple it.
Sub-clause B: If it doesn't call for garlic, add 3 cloves (only one for brownies).

2) If the steak is hot, it's done enough.

3) If the vegetable is hot, it's done enough too.
Sub-clause A: Unless it's a potato, in which case cook it for hours.
Sub-clause B: Or an onion--those are often delicious when they're really really cooked.

4) Throw away your ketchup--it is disgusting. (Conor and Mary restrain me from following this one.)

5) Use a pepper grinder. Pepper that's already ground tastes like sand. (I think. I've never eaten sand.)

6) Aluminum foil is one of the products that is worth buying brand-name. Get the Reynolds Wrap. Target-brand aluminum foil is one of the worst things known to mankind.

7) 70% of meals should feature basmati rice.

Simple, right? You too can be the best cook in your house!

Friday rants: our garbage people

2008-10-17T15:17:00.000-05:00

Why is it necessary for the people who pick up our garbage to throw our can into the street? We bought a new garbage can--who wants to spend money on THAT--only to have it thrown into the road and run over. Honestly. Can it be that hard to throw the trash can into the yard instead of the road? Doesn't anyone else mind this?

no-complaining Thursday: new parking pass!

2008-10-16T17:48:00.001-05:00

I signed up for my parking pass late and had to park FAR from my building (a 40-minute walk!). I put my name on the waiting list for a better lot (10-minute walk), but there were over 300 people on the list. Somehow they got through those people, because now I have a shiny new parking pass for Lot 1 and I can sleep in 30 minutes on teaching days! Rock on.

Wednesday reading: toddler discipline books

2008-10-15T19:37:00.004-05:00

So I've just read "Parent Effectiveness Training," by Thomas Gordon, and "The Happiest Toddler on the Block," by Harvey Karp, and I'm 2/3 done with "Raising Your Spirited Child," by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka.

Thumbs up on "P.E.T."--not so useful at Mary's only-partly-verbal stage, but interesting. And so far it's great in the classroom and in student conferences! I recommend it for anyone with kids, although you may also need another book or two for toddler ideas.

That book should not be "The Happiest Toddler on the Block."

It's not that it's an awful book (that would be "ToddlerWise," no doubt). It's just not the kind of thing that I am comfortable with. It advocates a lot of techniques that I find manipulative, unfair, and authoritarian, although I should make immediately clear that it is not promoting anything abusive or even heavy-handed. I'm just not happy with ideas like bribing my kid with soda to get them to take medicine. Perhaps more to the point, Karp is probably great with toddlers...because he treats his readers like they're toddlers. I have never felt so patronized since I was in Catholic marriage classes. And his jargon--all of it made up by him--is insufferable.

"Raising Your Spirited Child," which is also aimed at kids somewhat older than Mary (although it starts with toddlerhood, it's really based on dealing with more verbal children), is quite good so far. I have gotten a lot out of it in terms of improving transitions between activities and that sort of thing. I think it's going to be very useful. This is the one I'm going to suggest that Conor should read. (I vet these kinds of books because I read faster than he does.)

A special bonus Wednesday movie review: "Lars and the Real Girl." Thumbs down! This movie is too saccharine and unrealistic to be realism, but not magical enough to be fantasy. I thought it was lame. And too long.

felicitations!

2008-10-15T15:07:00.004-05:00

My cousin's baby, Nathaniel James, was born today. He was a little early (36 weeks or so along) but very healthy, 7 lbs 3 oz. Congratulations, Julie and Brian! I can't wait to see pictures.

Julie is 11 days older than I am. How fun that we have little boys only 3 months or so apart.

Mary=Annie Leibowitz

2008-10-15T14:41:00.003-05:00

So we went out to take pictures yesterday and Mary REALLLLLLY wanted to take pictures. I mean, she wanted the camera. Eventually I let her take it and I explained how to take the photos. She has always watched me do it and has been very interested in it. Anyway, I was extremely impressed by how well she listened--I told her she could only use it if she was careful and held it with both hands. I explained that she could see what was in the picture on the back of the camera. (It was our Elph, not my SLR!) I showed her which button to push. And here are some of the results! (I deleted some--you know, pics of the blanket, of her thumb, etc.)

I think I look a little old in these pictures (the result of poor sleep the night before!), but I still think they're cute and I can't believe Mary took them. I cropped in most of them to get rid of her hand. She holds the camera with both hands...but one of them is often in front of the lens.

She managed to get her own head into this one somehow:

Some other recent pics:

Conor and Mary at the Mudd House employee picnic

And here are some of the kids from yesterday's session. Can you believe Wesley is such a big boy?

And here's Mary taking a little "nap" in the yard:

Wesley is SO big.

2008-10-14T12:14:00.003-05:00

I'm going to take the kids outside to take pictures. You'll see them soon!

I, the chef

2008-10-14T12:10:00.003-05:00

Just in case you're wondering--last week's meal planning was a fabulous thing. I made two totally new meals I'd never made before (which I ordinarily don't do very often because I don't have the ingredients and don't want to go to the store). We tested out a Thai crockpot curry (decent; needs more spice but I'll make it again and add more) and a barbecued chicken crockpot pie (with cornbread on top). That one was okay and would be tasty with a less sweet barbecue sauce, so I'll probably try it again and make my own sauce.

Anyway, I'm pleased with myself, although I discovered we definitely need to build in a leftover night. We had pretty healthy meals, too. The baked salmon I made was really good--that's going in the regular rotation.

Friday rant: my crockpot

2008-10-10T17:19:00.004-05:00

I am really trying to stick to my meal plan for the week. I can tell this would save us money, plus we eat more healthfully when I have a plan.

In the interest of this--if you are one of the people who complains about how hard it is to buy Christmas presents for me, go crockpot shopping. Mine is wimpy (takes at least 50% longer than it should to cook things) and small. And it only has low and high settings, not "warm." And it has a billion crannies that catch all kinds of crud and are hard to clean.

AND I WANT CREDIT FOR PLANNING AHEAD! I do not want to plan ahead, prepare a nutritious meal, stare nervously through the glass lid all evening, find that the chicken is still PINK after 7 hours, and then feed my family frozen meatballs and have curry the NEXT day.

(Okay, it's not small. It's average. But I like to cook enough for leftovers for at least one day, preferably more than that. When I make something like chili or curry in the crockpot, I like to be able to freeze half and pull it out later. But my pot is too small for that. I really want a 6 quart or so. Although I also covet the little dip-sized one.)

Anyway, I'm sick of this crockpot already and I'm in week one of planning ahead. That's the whole POINT of planning ahead--that you can use the slow cooker or whatever!

That, and not eating tacos three times a week.

do you remember when Mary was about Wesley's age?

2008-10-10T16:44:00.001-05:00

I do.

From GreenePiece

no-complaining Thursday: going out with kids

2008-10-09T22:32:00.001-05:00

Why is it that when you go somewhere with a kid--or two--people are suddenly really nice to you? When I go out with Wesley and Mary, people always smile at us, hold doors, etc. Makes you think about how much scope there is for being nicer to people who DON'T have kids in tow.

addendum Wednesday book blog: Didion

2008-10-08T23:23:00.000-05:00

I meant to mention (speaking of dead spouse literature) that I just finished Joan Didion's "Year of Magical Thinking." I have never been a Didion fan; her essays don't excite me and I find her fiction ponderous. But I really liked this book. I'm not sure whether it's appropriate to say I enjoyed it--that's not quite the word. It's good, though. Harrowing, but good.

Wednesday reading: a blog instead of a book

2008-10-08T16:33:00.003-05:00

Something I have been reading: a blog by a woman I know online through a message board (a message board for women who sew their children's cloth diapers....yeah, for real). Her husband died of brain cancer a year ago this week. Her blog is--shattering. Funny. Sad. Honest. She has two small children and she's sharp about parenting, too.

You can check it out if you are interested:

Note To Self

I am also rereading "Emma" (because, why not?) and I just got in today's mail a copy of "Parent Effectiveness Training," by Thomas Gordon. I'll let you know if I am an effective parent by next Wednesday. I taught poetry today and so have been rereading a number of poems.

Here is one for you.

The Kiss
by Coventry Patmore

'I saw you take his kiss!' ''Tis true.'
'O, modesty!' ' 'Twas strictly kept:
He thought me asleep; at least I knew
He thought I thought he thought I slept.'

I love this kid

2008-10-08T16:10:00.001-05:00

So Mary and I came home from the gym (well, Wesley too--but he was sleeping) and Mary wanted to run around outside for a while. I looked up from nursing Wesley to see her laying on her back in the grass, dress hiked up--and no diaper!

I said, "Mary! Where is your diaper!?"

She said, "Is off!"

Well, yes. True.

"soon be home, soon be home...."

2008-10-07T21:31:00.003-05:00

SO cute. Conor is playing "A Quick One While He's Away" on guitar and Mary is playing her inflatable guitar, singing along, and dancing. She is like Roger Daltry in miniature. She knows most of the words.

I am melting here, seriously.

I want this for Wesley!

2008-10-07T12:09:00.000-05:00

Or Mary, come to that:

shirt

frightened...so frightened.

2008-10-06T19:09:00.002-05:00

Mary just woke up from a nap. I asked her if she wanted to get dressed and she grabbed a pink shrug sweater edged in fake fur from the closet bar (David and Nina--you know what I'm talking about, as it was Molly's first!) and said, "Mary wear PINK!"

Hold me.

STOP TORMENTING JANE!

2008-10-05T22:51:00.001-05:00

We are watching "The Jane Austen Book Club."

Stop laughing at me. It was loaned to us. By Grandma. What was I supposed to do? Say "No thanks--I don't watch movies about Jane Austen because they make me twitch?"

It is torture. It is awful. These people should not be allowed to discuss Jane Austen. Aaaaackkkk....make it stop.

any meal planners around here?

2008-10-05T16:34:00.001-05:00

So I'm thinking that part of our new and improved "Healthy Eating Like Before I Got Pregnant Again" initiative, I should actually do some meal planning. (This is also spurred by the fact that food prices are out of hand around here.)

It's weird. Who PLANS what to cook? Do any of you actually do this? You know, shop with a plan for what you're cooking?

a couple of things I think are cool

2008-10-05T13:47:00.004-05:00

I like these two web sites a lot:

www.localharvest.com

www.eatwild.com

Both of them are designed to hook up consumers with local food sources--farms, etc.--thereby reducing the consumer's environmental footprint while encouraging whole-foods and healthy eating. Rock on. I love them.

no-complaining Thursday: playtime at our house!

2008-10-02T21:46:00.003-05:00

We had some PlayDoh time the other night--I think Conor has missed his true calling.

Mary and I made these--not too inspired.

But Conor made this:

and then changed him into...

George Burns

Abraham Lincoln

and Mephistopheles

He also made Mary a snake--she loved it and said, "Ssssssss..."

Then, today, Mary and I went outside and pulled Wesley around in the wagon.

Eventually Mary got tired and I had to pull them both.

Wesley liked it. He's three months old now--and a really big, strong boy:

ack, stop saying "maverick"

2008-10-02T20:51:00.001-05:00

John McCain is no more a maverick than he is a camel. Seriously.

overheard while Mary was going to sleep last night

2008-10-01T19:24:00.002-05:00

Over the baby monitor:

"Hi boy!....Okay, Bear. Cookie? He sleeping? Hi, boy! Take bath? Teeth. Hi, boy! Okay, Bear. Okay, Bear. Muppie? Cookie? It's a dog? Woof woof, Okay, Bear. Ankle! Diaper! Ankle! Okay, Bear. It's a dog? Hi Soph!"

Etc., etc., for an hour or so. She seemed to be trying to rehearse all of her vocabulary.

Key: "Boy" is Wesley. "Bear" is Mary (Mary Bear). "Muppie" is "Muppets." "Soph" is short for "Sophie," my parents' dog.

Wednesday reading--parenting books redux

2008-10-01T06:51:00.003-05:00

I'm a reader, so we have acquired a lot of parenting books (and gotten rid of a lot of them again). Want to know which ones are good and bad?

GOOD:
"The Baby Book," by William and Martha Sears. (Ironically, we don't own this. I have read the whole thing in bits and pieces.) If you get this book, in my opinion, you don't need their book, "The Attachment Parenting Book." It covers the same material.

"The No-Cry Sleep Solution" and "The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers," by Elizabeth Pantley. This gives you a lot of different tips and suggestions to try for getting better sleep from your baby. I am about to start using the ideas in the first one for Wesley; the second one helped us get Mary back to sleeping well after her weird sleep regression at 18 months or so. It doesn't advocate anything that clashes with my parenting philosophy--no crying it out alone in the crib--unlike some books. It's common to recommend letting the kid cry while you pop out of the room for longer and longer stretches of time, but I'm not cool with that.

"The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" (the La Leche League book). This is a pretty good basic guide. Not sufficient if you have a major nursing problem, but then, what is?

NOT GREAT BUT STILL USEFUL:
All of the "What to Expect" books. I don't like their philosophy about almost anything but I still refer to them often for things like first aid or illness. I also refer to the "milestone charts" in the front of the chapters (although they do sometimes include weird things like "ability to pay attention to a small object such as a raisin"--???). You don't need the pregnancy one--there are much better pregnancy books out there, although that is a different blog post. But the "first year" and "toddler years" ones have useful information if you're not relying on them exclusively. Just don't buy into their parenting philosophy and you can get a lot out of them.

"The Discipline Book," by William and Martha Sears. This is a great philosophy about discipline, but it doesn't give a lot of specific techniques to try. I agree with them...but I don't feel like I'm better equipped to discipline Mary after reading it.

BAD:
"Babywise," by Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam. This book is evil, evil, evil. It is actively dangerous to some babies (the kind who need to eat more than every three hours, for example, in order to thrive). This book advocates a style of parenting that falls JUST barely short of abuse. I'm sure the toddler one is equally bad but I have not read it.

JURY'S STILL OUT:
"Raising Your Spirited Child," by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka; "Parent Effectiveness Training: The Proven Program for Raising Responsible Children," by Thomas Gordon; and "The Happiest Toddler on the Block," by Harvey Karp. These are in the mail to us, so I'll let you know!

Wesley is three months old!

2008-09-30T22:18:00.000-05:00

Pictures coming soon!

Bye, Paul Newman.

2008-09-27T23:50:00.001-05:00

We just finished watching "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." What a great movie, and what an amazing career he had.

like the new look? + rant about debates

2008-09-26T21:50:00.003-05:00

I was tired of the green blog. Actually I was tired of the white background. I like the green but I thought a black page would look nicer behind my pictures.

We just watched the presidential debate. Why is it that candidates have to bicker so much? It makes them both look so immature. But if they don't do it, the other candidate walks all over the discussion. Argh.

I would love it if there could be a debate that outlawed the use of the words "freedom," "change," and "Americans."

some recent pictures

2008-09-26T21:32:00.003-05:00

A few things we've done recently...

We went to the Jim Henson exhibit downtown with Mike:

We've watched the Muppets:

We've hung out with Sean and Ginger and (more importantly?) Mackenzie, who is 2 weeks Wesley's junior:

We've driven a lot--courtesy of the new academic year:

Wesley campaigned for peace:

And looked at his hands:

And grew.

And Mary got her first haircut. Here is her hair before:

And after!

Conor is resourceful

2008-09-25T22:41:00.001-05:00

That is his method for fixing my cutting board--which is JUST too big for his clamp. He glued it, then jammed it into the window and used the clamp to hang something heavy enough to keep the window putting pressure on it. Or something. Actually I have no idea why the stuff is attached to the clamp--maybe it's just protecting the glass.

Absurd.

reflections while nursing Wesley

2008-09-20T14:59:00.003-05:00

I just spent an hour and a half or so cleaning up in the living room and dining room. It looks as though I haven't even started! You know why? Because of Mrs. Potato Head.

Mrs. Potato Head, and her ilk--all of the toys that have lots of little pieces, like puzzles, shape sorters, and that one book with the blank-faced animals and a million little magnetic facial features to stick on---are ruining my life! I mean, blocks and whatnot are one thing.Those just have to go in a box. Its the matching--this toy/puzzle with these pieces--that's making me crazy.

At M's birthday party, everyone brought gifts--and I do TOTALLY APPRECIATE them thinking of Mary, don't get me wrong. It's just that lots of them were this sort of thing. Mary loves this stuff. She does. She adores putting in little pieces, or whatever. But I don't! Outwardly, I smiled, said, "Oh, isn't that cute." Inside, it was one long silent scream. EEK! NOT MRS. POTATO HEAD! (Insert horror movie music here.)

So, ruling by fiat, I hereby decree that I will match them ONE time...and then they will go out of reach to be retrieved and used on request, one at a time. Mary will prefer it because she isn't capable of finding the right parts so she can't even use them right now. She can enjoy them, and I can enjoy playing with her with them, instead of just being frustrated because the eyes for the camel are in the spice drawer. I feel, philosophically, like her toys should be within reach for her so she can play with them...but to hell with philosophy. I'm sick of finding a 3-D square in my shoe.

Besides, doesn't anyone else find Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head a little scary sometimes? Like when Conor puts the arm into the nose hole?

cutest thing ever

2008-09-20T11:48:00.001-05:00

Or definitely close to it: Mary reads her books and if you sit with her to read she will read a page, then pick up the book, turn it around, and show you the pictures, library-storytime style. AAAHHHH! Cuteness overload.

boo humbug

2008-09-20T09:35:00.001-05:00

I hate Halloween.

I don't really get the idea of trick-or-treating. Costumes are fun for little kids but for older kids they're just a reason to dress like a skank or in a gross-looking costume.

Mostly, though, I hate being bombarded by stuff I don't want to see--skeletons. And other things that I find gross and off-putting, like green-faced witches or corpse-like mask faces. Why should I have to look at that for over a month? Ew. I will be glad when it is over, although I think Mary and Wesley will look adorable in their costumes (pictures, of course, will be available).

that look (and Friday rant)

2008-09-19T06:50:00.004-05:00

We went to Babies-R-Us yesterday to buy more stove knob covers (necessary item with a toddler in the house, but not totally sturdy and long-lasting).

There was a couple wandering around holding a baby--no more, I would say, than a week old, max.

They totally had that look that new parents have: a combination of astonishment, awe, PTSD, and exhaustion. Stunned. They were clearly stunned.

It's amazing that this happens to so many people and is considered normal. It's intense. Really, really intense.

End of reflection. Beginning of rant.

They were standing by the bottles, trying to pick something, when we walked by. The woman asked me, "Excuse me--what kind of bottles do you use?"

(Fast-forward past the fact that she assumes I DO use bottles, though many people don't--it was pretty clear that she was not considering breastfeeding, as--well--her chest was absolutely enormous, she was wearing a one-piece dress with no nursing access, and I actually saw her wince when she brushed against a display, so I'm pretty sure she was suffering all of the pain of having lots of milk and not doing anything with it.)

I recommended Dr. Brown's, which is what we use for Wesley, but told her that every baby is different and they might have to try a few. She said that their little girl didn't seem to like the ones they had, which were basic "cute" ones with cartoons on them, and that she was only eating about 2 ounces per feeding and leaving the rest. And then she's hungry again in two hours.

Honestly! Didn't ANYone at the hospital tell them that's normal or give them any instruction at all? I am pretty furious at the fact that these people have so little support or childcare information that they were forced to ask a total stranger in a store, who may or may not have mentioned that 2 oz is a LOT for a baby that little. Clearly these people are mainstream to the max--they had that baby in a hospital, I am sure. Would it kill the maternity ward to send a nurse to go over a few basics before they were discharged? They didn't do that for me when Wesley was born (maybe because he was not our first) but they did when Mary was born. I had been reading books about babies for months, but if I hadn't, that would have been useful to me. And this couple could have used it!

a few more baptism photos, courtesy Mom

2008-09-15T16:46:00.003-05:00

Here are a few pictures that Mom got during their visit here, including a baptismal head-soaking photo!

Wesley and Grandpa Moo:

Baptizing:

Wesley crawling on me--he loves to prop himself up on a lying-down person. Want to be impressed? I just have a hand on his butt. Yes, he's that strong!

Mary and Grandma Cal playing with Play-Doh:

And a giggly Wesley:

Burn After Reading

2008-09-15T16:24:00.002-05:00

I liked it--you should go see it.

Are you impressed that we saw it the day it opened? Conor, Mary, Wesley, and I saw it with Mike, Sandy, and Zak. Wesley only cried SOME of the time. Clearly he is not going to be the champion moviegoer that Mary was at his age.

Anyway, I enjoyed it. It's very funny and has a few excellent performances in it: Richard Jenkins and J.K. Simmons were my favorites. (Plus, I get way too much amusement out of seeing Brad Pitt as a huge dork.)

I am old

2008-09-11T21:21:00.004-05:00

* This seems really late to me--I am going to bed in a minute just because I can.

* I don't like to go to the Fish Market because it is too loud.

* I was really excited when I was visiting my parents because I got a super-good deal on the kind of foot scrub I like to use.

* I made an apron.

ETA: To redeem myself a very small amount--it is actually 10:30, not 9:30. Blogspot doesn't acknowledge daylight savings time, I guess.

pictures of the party...as promised!

2008-09-10T20:31:00.003-05:00

I finally got around to uploading those pictures...so here's an account of the big bash (and the week leading up to it). My parents arrived on Labor Day, also known as Mary's second birthday. Mary, Wesley, and I were in the yard playing when they arrived. Mary saw Mom get out of the car and ran to her, yelling, "YAY!" I assume this means she now really remembers and knows them.

Here is a photo of Mom living the good life--babe in one hand, drink in the other:

I told Mom that Smirnoff Ice is a sorority girl drink, but she says she doesn't care.

And here's a close-up, in case you are lacking in cute, squishalicious baby-ness:

Here is another pic from Mary's actual birthday (last Monday):

And here is Wesley on her birthday:

Later in the week, we broke out the Play-Doh that Melissa gave Mary for her birthday. Mary liked it:

I don't have any photos of the actual baptism (I was busy holding Wesley), but I will steal some of my mom's when she uploads hers. Wesley was really good during the ceremony. He slept the whole time except for during some applause from the congregation (during which he popped his eyes open, stared with evident alarm, and then went back to sleep). Even pouring the water on his head didn't wake him up. (Father Scott was nice enough not to use icy cold water.)

The baptism itself was nice. It was during 11:30 Mass (the one we always attend) so the people who were there were all of the people we see every week, who have watched my belly expand to frightening proportions and then watched Wesley growing to a ridiculous size for his age. Father Scott gave an interesting and personal homily and then the baptism part of the ceremony was very low-key (aside from the "casting out of Satan" part; that's not really low-key rhetoric, I guess).

PICTURES FROM THE PARTY

Sandy and Wesley:

Mary in her new wagon (birthday present of great-grandma McHale):

Mike and Zak pretending to be badasses:

Mary with one of her gifts (a copy of "Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?", which she loves immoderately):

Conor with one of Wesley's gifts--a Jesus action figure from his godfather, Zak:

Sam and Mary with Mary's new tricycle (from Mike and Sandy--isn't Mary totally equipped now, with trike and wagon?):

Mary, not blowing out her candles (she's completely baffled by this whole process and had no idea what to make of the singing):

Father Scott talking to Sammi about stuffed animals (trivia fact: he is 6'8" tall and I feel extremely short standing next to him--just to clarify, I am 5'4"):

Wesley and Grandma McHale:

Grandma, Wesley, and Anne:

Wesley with his godfather, Zak:

For those of you curious about such things, this is the cake I made for Mary's party. I make this a lot because it is by far the best white cake I've ever tasted, and it is also easy to make and it looks impressive. I got the recipe from the back of the Softasilk Cake Flour box.

Raspberry-Laced Vanilla Cake

This time, though, instead of the frosting it calls for, I made cream cheese frosting--1 8-oz block cream cheese, 1/2 stick butter, powdered sugar until it was the right thickness for spreading, and a few really generous dollops of strawberry jam. It was really good; sort of like cheesecake. It makes the cake extra delicious and I highly recommend this recipe for any toddler's birthday. (Mary, you understand, would still be awake now if I had made a chocolate cake.)

Wednesday reading--Jane Austen

2008-09-10T18:27:00.002-05:00

I taught Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility" today and have been re-reading "Pride and Prejudice." If you have never read Jane Austen, run-don't walk--to the bookstore and get a copy of P&P, "Persuasion," or "Mansfield Park." You'll thank me.

Mary's birthday party/Wesley's baptism party!

2008-09-07T21:00:00.002-05:00

Is over and I am tired.

It went really well though. Pics to come.

most embarrassing thing that's ever happened

2008-09-06T11:14:00.002-05:00

I wasn't going to tell anyone this happened, but it turns out that I sort of have to, otherwise it will never start being funny instead of embarrassing.

So I'm a nursing mother. And frequently I have to remind myself to do up whatever piece of clothing I've removed/unhooked in order to nurse Wesley--this is less dumb than it sounds because I always have to settle him down when he's done eating, burp him, whatever.

The other day I went to Target, just Wesley and me. He was hungry, so I nursed him in the parking lot. I burped him, settled him into the Moby Wrap, and headed into the store.

When I walked through the doors, the air conditioned air hit me. Including my entirely exposed, not-covered-up-at-all right breast. I had completely neglected to hook up my nursing tank. The Moby Wrap, which was on me with Wesley in it, was not covering me up at all. Not even a little. I hooked up my shirt as quickly as I could, pretending that nothing had happened. I figured, if I refused to make eye contact with anyone, I could pretend that nothing had happened. So I did.

Friday rant: parking

2008-09-05T23:29:00.000-05:00

So I forgot to get my parking pass for this year until pretty late (I was distracted by a needy baby, etc.). I am parking in lot 6. Do you know where lot 6 is? Neither did I. Because it's HARDLY ON CAMPUS. It's wayyyyy over by the basketball stadium. It's a 40-minute walk from there to my office or classrooms! That means that I have an 80-minute round-trip walk from there to class and back (although once our houseguests have departed, Conor will be picking me up, so I'll only have to go one way).

I will be so much more fit by the end of the semester. Against my will. But I guess it's good for me since I am in worse shape than I've ever been in (the result of a c-section and enforced inactivity for 6-8 weeks).

no-complaining Thursday: Wesley

2008-09-04T14:27:00.002-05:00

When we went to Michigan, I switched Wesley to soy formula. Overnight, he was a lot less fussy, more alert and engaged, and a better sleeper!

Now it's been a couple of weeks, and he is sleeping 4-5 hours at a stretch at night the last two nights; smiling and laughing like a crazy baby; crying much, much less; and looking far more relaxed and serene all the time. In fact, even his persistent cradle cap has gone away and he has fewer baby zits!

He's also obviously a genius: he is a little over two months old and can already play the "stick your tongue out when someone else sticks his/her tongue out" game.

GreenePiece

never mind your input

should I move my blog?

Wednesday reading--T.C. Boyle

how you can tell Wesley is a second child

video extravaganza

Mary says,

they do look alike!

Dear Mary,

perversity

conversation this afternoon

I announce

full tub

general notes

Wesley update!

success!

We live in a lesser era.

a few more Texas pics

a few things

9*9*9 update

garden!

One down, 80 to go!

why do my kids always like the most expensive foods?

just an ordinary day....

hunger strike over

9*9*9

we have heat!

a couple of pics (sort of a preview)

I love my husband (and Friday rant)

news flash and suggestion request

news flash!

I will be a better blogger...

five years ago...

vacation reading

gratuitous pictures of kids!

movie rec and gossip!

hey Suz--

Mary is a critical thinker!

catch-up blog

I interrupt my blog laziness to announce...

babywearing, Grandpa-style

wanna see what I am thankful for?

top five most embarrassing breastfeeding moments

the coolest thing I've ever made

Wednesday reading--England Made Me

A few pictures and a funny thing

Wednesday reading--Henning Mankell

one more post

Friday rant: toddler screeching

finally, Halloween pictures

we have hands!

I am so happy.

We voted!

huge Wesley!

Friday rant: rabbits

no-complaining Thursday: my kids are cute

Wednesday reading--Chris Bohjalian

This makes me feel like a pioneer goddess:

goodbye, summer; hello, pesto

how to be a fabulous cook

Friday rants: our garbage people

no-complaining Thursday: new parking pass!

Wednesday reading: toddler discipline books

felicitations!

Mary=Annie Leibowitz

Wesley is SO big.

I, the chef

Friday rant: my crockpot

do you remember when Mary was about Wesley's age?

no-complaining Thursday: going out with kids

addendum Wednesday book blog: Didion

Wednesday reading: a blog instead of a book

I love this kid

"soon be home, soon be home...."

I want this for Wesley!

frightened...so frightened.

STOP TORMENTING JANE!

any meal planners around here?

a couple of things I think are cool

no-complaining Thursday: playtime at our house!

999 update

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