Week 38: Our Brains Are Alive (and Melty Is Too A Word)

What's new?

Oh, how I missed you, Wally Lamb. Reading favorite authors is like stepping into a nice, hot bath. You can confidently just let their words completely absorb your melty, porous brain because you're not tripping over their shitty, cliche, underdeveloped characters or bored out of your mind or disgusted because once more, someone mistook a pessimistic point of view for good writing. It is like knowing in advance you are going to get a brain massage and a good laugh and your imagination is going to come alive and be free. The Hour I First Believed is a similiar style to I Know This Much is True, where he ties deep, historical roots with regard to the protagonists family history into the current day. This story centers around a couple going through marital problems who deal with the after-effects of the Colombine massacre. Deep, complex, believable, and thought-provoking.

Week 38 New Stuff:

• Henry has given up naps. Oddly, he seems SO much happier and content on this schedule. No more spending 2 hours a day fighting him to take a nap, then fighting him to eat, then to go to bed. He sleeps from 7:30-7ish; eats more; talks more, is more affectionate and playful. I think this is actually working! Quiet time for an hour in the afternoons is a must, and I am learning as I go. Time Management...this is something that is being quickly readjusted :) Not sure if I will ever crochet again!

• Cod liver oil - A lot of great research exists on the benefits of cod liver oil on brain development, the prevention of learning disabilities, and even various disorders of the Autism Spectrum, not to mention nerve disorders. I just don't think it can hurt, especially since our boy is such a picky eater!  

• I signed up for a half marathon on Post the first weekend in October. One of my girlfriends offered to come hang out with Henry that morning, and having that possibility made me more excited than waking him up early to take to someone else's house while also trying to get ready for a half marathon. While I am no stranger to half marathons, it has been a year since I have run one!

• New green smoothie recipe from Green Smoothie Revolution. I had been wanting to try this one for a while because it only had 2 ingredients and looked extremely refreshing; 3 cups of cubed cantelope and 1 bunch of parsley. That's it! I add a little water to mine every time just because I have a blender from 1994, but you fancy VitaMixers need not add water. I THOUGHT this was going to be good. I am obsessed with parsley. I love anything with melon. I had both ingredients handy. However, it didn't really sit right with me. The flavor combo was not doing it. Green apples, sour berries, lemon, other greens...those are things that work with parsley. Cantelope is too sweet or too melon-y or something. Blech. Like all of those fruit and mint candies and gums? Those also gross me out, and this was kind like that (1/5 stars).

Week 36: The Kindness of People, The Mush of My Brain

What's new?

Week 36 was a pretty great week, all around. That said, today was a tough one in a day-in-the-solo-life with my growing, glowing, almost-3-year-old. My brain is mush. I cannot even fake my way through this post with an attempt at some humor or ultra-fake-facebook-sounding BS about how we should all appreciate this time because it goes by so quickly. You know what? Right now, in this moment, I am proud to say that I do not appreciate it, and I can't wait until I no longer have to repeat, "please use your words, mommy can't understand you when you whine," 5,000 times a day. THERE. I said it. GASP. Now go find some sugary little Instagram quote to help you feel better. No wait. I already did that :) Don't worry, it is possible that I will delete this horridly grouchmo post and re-post a new, cheerful one when I wake up in the morning...Namaste, friends.

Week 36 Newness:

• The Sweetest Gift - A friend of a friend, whom we met ONCE, made Henry the most beautiful, random, adorable dinosaur quilt. I was so overwhelmingly blessed by this kind gesture, and Henry loved it so much that he danced on it and rolled around on it for days. Some people are so talented in this world! I love homemade.

• New Restaurants - As I mentioned last week, my Father-in-Law was here visiting. The man loves and appreciates food as much as I do (he did not pass this on to his son or to his grandson, which is probably good, or I would weigh 400 lbs, easy). We ate out a LOT and enjoyed every moment! Two new local places we tried were Osaka Sushi in Leavenworth (just outside of the main gate), and Panchos in Parkville, MO. I am so sad that I waited 1.5 years to try Osaka. See what being a food snob gets you? Nothing. It was delicious, and though I do not recommend eating there (kind of ghetto), the food was amazing, and it will be on the take-out menu often. Panchos was so fun! An old house, situated between a boxcar and a caboose. The food was good-enough-Mexican food. Having lived in San Diego, I am kind of still a Mexican food snob, but it was good! Well worth the trip, and if you have a kid who is obsessed with trains, it is a must. You get to sit inside of a traincar with a view of the real train that runs through Parkville. I heart Parkville.

• Friend Dating - While I am sure they are never going to call us back (today, the horrible, no-good, very bad day of which I spoke earlier, was our date day), I enjoyed spending some time with a very interesting, nice, patient woman and her sweet son from Henry's preschool, today. This woman was a good sport. Sooo kind. That is all.

• New Pet - Remember the little teddy bear hamster that we babysat for 6 weeks back in June/July? Well it turns out the parents of the little girl who owned him were looking to re-home this little critter, and we just fell in love with it. The little girl who previously owned him named him "Leah" and her mom suggested we change his name :) But Henry already knows "Leah" and thinks every animal slightly resembling a rodent is "like Leah", so, "Leah" stays. Him-Her.

Week 33: Holding Hands, Hot Air Balloons, and Baggy Clothes Wearing

What's new?

In Week 33, my sweetest little buddy had his first day of preschool! I wonder if he heard how loudly my heart beat against my chest when I dropped him off that morning? Knowing he was in the best of hands for a few hours, I treated myself to a little visit to Michael's to look at yarn and all of the fall/harvest decor without a little person in tow! A glorious time, my friends. One of my very sweet girlfriends let me drag her along as well, so bonus for some uninterrupted, adult conversation :) I have SO many solo momma plans...trail runs, return to writing fiction, local Victorian mansion/museums, the little kitchen store in town...Maybe some solo birdwatching? It's all dangerous. I'm not even sure where to start.   

Is it weird that I feel fat when I am nervous? When I feel fat, I tend to wear super baggy clothes. So chances are, if you see me wearing super baggy clothes, I am nervous or anxious about something(s). Like test days, doctor visits, hospitals in general, loud crashes in the middle of the night, and taking my son to his first day of preschool :) Also, when I am nervous, I crave hot coffee and hot soup (just since you were dying to know that).

When I picked him up and his teacher brought him to the door, he came out wearing his backpack (I couldn't get him to put it on, so already I was happy that he was learning), carrying his little painting he did and so proud. He even let his teacher HOLD his HAND as he walked out the door. That alone filled me with such hope. Such glee. When he saw me, his little lip quivered and his eyes filled up with tears. I quickly changed the subject and told him I was proud of him and that he was such a big boy. His teacher said he cried a few random times but was really good - followed directions, waited his turn, etc. Then, as SOON as we started walking down the hall, he was telling me all about his day and what they did and was speaking quite excitedly about it all. And as we crossed the street, he let me hold his hand the whole way across without a meltdown. A Christmas miracle, folks.

Preschool, I love you.

What else?

Other Week 33 new stuff:

• New children's fiction: A Little Critter compilation with all different Little Critter stories than we currently have, as well as a couple of Little Golden Books. The Please and Thank You Book is full of cute rhymes having to do with social etiquette and good behavior, but oddly, has nothing about saying "please" or "thank you". Out of the 3, it is my favorite. Henry is Little Critter obsessed, and I am no longer allowed to read it to him (he reads it). 

• New bug! Our first katydid! I have never seen one in real life :) We found this one at the Ernie Miller Nature Center down in Olathe, KS, and we were pretty excited.

• Great Midwest Balloon Festival (Olathe, KS) - We woke up early to drive an hour down South to see the hot air balloons come in and try to make their target. It was really fun, and the weather was beautiful. I always love being surrounded by nerds of whatever the "thing" is. Hot air balloon nerds are awesome. They just follow the balloons around and photograph them, commenting on wind speed and direction and the balloon itself. Huh. Oh, and Henry loved this :)

• New hiking shoes! I had my old Merrells about 8 years; abused and used them, and figured it was about time to replace them. I never like new shoes, but it is important to take care of your feet when you are on them as much as I, or so my Husband always tells me :) Merrells are nice if you have really narrow feet with high arches, and I used them for work many years. Now I just wear them to preschooler-hike and chase after the youngling. 5/5 either way. 

Week 32: Beginnings of a Thunderstorm

What's new?

Week 32 brought with it so much 2.5-year old. This boy! I have never seen such a willfull, stubborn, independent little person in my entire life. It is apparently, time for pre-school. SO much Henry newness...He now says "Bless You" when someone sneezes. He walks by himself into the post office (not in the stroller) and most other public places. He drinks water because I have convinced him "that's what big boys do." He rips child safety mechanisms off of doors. He quotes books. He washes himself. He lets me know which music he likes and wants to know who the artist is...What happened to that baby I just had?! Who is this little man-cub? :) 

One of my girlfriends has a son who is in his early 20's. She was almost in tears the other day as she told me the story about how he broke up with his serious girlfriend (who had been so serious she was in family photos) whom they had all fallen in love with. The reasons he gave his mom, my friend, were not (as a momma) ones that you want to hear from your son, the one you raised to be a stand-up guy. Mom was extremely disappointed in his decision and trying hard to be supportive of him and be the good listener that she is. The fact of the matter was that her son is not ready for a serious, grown-up relationship. Growing pains - do they ever end? :) 

Listen

One morning I awoke to a muffled song

A deep soft sound like the beginnings of a thunderstorm

My feet touched the ground as I followed the voice

It grew louder though was still unclear

I came upon a baby boy, sleeping in his bed.

Touched his cherubim face and held the light upon it

Deafening were his inaudible lyrics –

One day to be discerned as clear as bells

but perhaps just not by me 

this morning

by, Becca @Allbrandnewin52.blogspot.com

Other Week 32 Newness:

• Red Barn Pickled Asparagus. Mom got this for me (I love pickled asparagus!) while she was here and we were visiting our local Red Barn Farms out in Weston, MO. I paired it with Absolut Peppar and a little Mrs. T's and a sprig of celery :) Basically, a delicious little salad.

• Learned how to align my BOB SUS thanks to my amazing neighbors who fixed it for me (it had been pulling very hard to the left). Basically it was like someone wrapped my sprained ankle. Lifesaver. By the way, having smart, kind, intuitive neighbors who recognize that running outside is your sanity is going on my list of deployment musts.

• Cookies fail! Yes - I am publishing a fail. You cannot substitute Sunbutter for peanut butter in cookie recipes, apparently. If anyone out there has successfully done this, please let me know how you did it.

• Sharkbait #3. Yes. Yep. Youbetcha. I think I traumatize my Betas when I go on vacation. This little guy seems pretty feisty, and I am trying him with no tank heater, this time around. I am pulling for ya, Buddy!

• New workout! The 10-minute body-weight workout (August 2013 issue) from Women's Running Magazine, a great, digital publication has been a wonderful supplement to my runs lately. The body-weight exercises include alternating lateral lunges, squat thrusts, the inchworm, and mountain climbers. The exercises are done for 20 seconds with a 20 second rest in between, for 10 minutes. Love this one!

Week 24: A Galaxy, A Smoothie, and A Toddler

what's new?

We spent week 24 in the company of our fabulous friends, the Morrows, who were staying with us for a week before they moved to their next Post. We have grown quite close over the last year, and I gave them my whole heart, and they gave me several solar systems, in return. Sometimes, when you allow yourself to be truly vulnerable in friendships, you get stung, but other times, you get a galaxy :) And so, there seems no other passage more befitting than One Art, by Elizabeth Bishop:

 The art of losing isn't hard to master;
 so many things seem filled with the intent
 to be lost that their loss is no disaster.

 Lose something every day.  Accept the fluster
 of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
 The art of losing isn't hard to master.

 Then practice losing farther, losing faster:
 places, and names, and where it was you meant
 to travel.  None of these will bring disaster.

 I lost my mother's watch.  And look! my last, or
 next-to-last, of three loved houses went.
 The art of losing isn't hard to master.

 I lost two cities, lovely ones.  And, vaster,
 some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
 I miss them, but it wasn't a disaster.

 ---Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture
 I love) I shan't have lied.  It's evident
 the art of losing's not too hard to master
 though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster.

New things we tried in Week 24:

• Scooter's Blend Coffee (a medium roast/blend). I liked it - very deeply roasted and nutty flavor overall. Still not better than my favorite, but better than many. An easy drinking coffee that you can get at the drive-thru in a pinch if you don't want to make a special grocery store trip just for coffee.

• New deployment book for kids - Lily Hates Goodbyes. This book received the utmost praise from critics and reviewers, buuuut...I was not a fan, simply for the reason that "Lily hates goodbyes" is repeated on almost every page, despite the creative and wonderful things she is doing throughout the story. I don't like the idea of harping on hating something and continuing to whine about it. Say it once, get over it, and move on. Tough baloney, Lily. C'mon. 

• Red Barn Farms Country Market (Weston, MO). I LOVE the town of Weston (about 20 minutes east of Fort Leavenworth), and though we have visited many of the local farms around here, have never made it to Red Barn! They have the cutest little country store - I highly recommend paying them a visit, should you venture out this way.

• The Farmhouse (Kansas City, MO). Beautiful farm-to-table restaurant downtown, near City Market. Our dear friends treated us to this great find, complete with lovely outdoor seating and delicious wine and appetizers before the beginnings of a toddler meltdown occurred (mine) and we said goodbye. It happens...We will be back. They have Black Butte Porter ON TAP :)  

• Green Smoothie Revolution (by, Victoria Boutenko). This book was given to to me to read by my neighbor, after chatting about rebuilding immunity from being sick/taking antibiotics. Her exact words were, "This book will rock your World.". I (wildly) concur and recommend to just about anyone. I learned quite a it about the overall digestion of green vegetables in general from this book. As a Colitis patient, I also learned some valuable tips for the absorption of the vitamins and minerals from veggies, but even if you learn nothing, this particular recipe feels really good on your tummy. I love parsley. It is highly underrated. We will alternate the types of greens we use (to avoid alkaloid absorption) every other week, but here is this week's smoothie recipe, which I modified (the original called for dates and only one lemon, and I prefer the piney-citrusy flavor of the parsley and didn't want it that sweet, so I opted for unsweetened berries):

2 cups parsley

1 Fuji apple (we used whatever)

1/2 cup frozen blueberry/raspberries

lemon juice from 2 squeezed lemons

a little bit of water to make my cheapo blender turn

This will be enough for a couple of days - make sure to store in glass, not plastic, which will leach nutrients

Week 21: Tornados, Tiger Tails, and Those We Love

What's New?

In Week 21, I received a phone call from my Dad asking if we were in our basement. No, I responded, we just got home from a run. Laughter. "There's a tornado watch in effect in your area," he explains. "Yes, Dad. I know. But we ran in between watches." Twenty minutes later, our power was out, and wind gusts were strong enough to throw our neighbors' yard trampolines across Post and to knock a person over. And those are just wind gusts. We experienced our first real tornado watch.

We are relatively prepared for minor things such as power outages in our area, and for this, I am thankful. Flashlights, candles, propane stove, blankets, changes of clothes and water/food/medicines...We would be okay for a few days. Residents of our area were told to watch the skies for hail and a "greenish" tint. Henry and I made hot cocoa and curled up in a blanket and sent texts back and forth to my Husband and Siblings/Parents. Henry was getting over a quick but nasty flu virus, and honestly, my worrying had been so great over that incident, that the tornado watch seemed somewhat insignificant in comparison. I just hugged him and smiled at his 2.5-year-old curiosity about what thunder and lightening and flashlights were. 

The next day, we turned on the news to hear and see the tragic outcome of the tornado in Moore, Oklahoma. Feelings of helplessness and grief washed over us all. As insignificant as it may be, here is the link to the Red Cross if anyone reading this feels lead to help out in a small way. 

Hug your loved ones, and maybe even your acquaintances, once in a while.    

Newness for Week 21:

• Tried out Weston Brewery on a momma's-only lunch date with a girlfriend. The Drop-Kick Ale (which I had never tried from there) was delicious, comparable to a nutty amber such as Fat Tire, but better. We enjoyed delicious burgers and spicy fries on the patio - I will definitely be returning! Very kid and family friendly, which is always a plus. 

• Tiger Tail Rolling Muscle Massager! WHY is this just now in my house?! A-MAZING. I have been rolling it over my feet, my ridiculously tight IT bands, and my hip flexors. I basically just want to marry it. 

• Discovery of a great new blog: Silly Eagle Books. The author of this blog is a friend of a dear friend, who recommended this site to me. She reviews children's fiction and discusses related projects that she does with her kids, who are home-schooled. It is not a cheesy crafting site where they paint egg cartons and glue googly eyes onto toilet paper rolls! It is very legit with some meat on its bones, if you know what I'm getting at :) Check it out! You will love it even if you don't have children!

• Guess who came home (for a whole week!) during Week 21?! Our Other Third!! We are sooo excited. We have missed him greatly these past couple of weeks.  

Week 19: A Flavor Explosion

What's New?

Week 19 was cut a little short by a nasty momma flu virus (ew!). Damn, I really need to stop licking the carts at Walmart :) Luckily, we started the week out with a bang and didn't lose any time in trying new things despite the midweek bump in the road. We were also able to get in some fantastic toddler bird-watching, and my kid is so into it! I never expected that he would be at all, but he is really good at remembering the names of things and at spotting critters. I will probably cry when he gets his first pair of binoculars. And he will think I am nuts. And that will be us for the rest of our lives together. That is all.

So, yes. I tried a new coffee, which is one I bought from the Coffeehouse at City Market in Kansas City the previous week, along with my loads of black jelly beans. It was bright, spicy, and a little green...they would hate me for saying this, but it reminded me of Starbuck's coffee. A lot of folks LOVE that, but I am going to stick with my Pete's Major Dickensen's blend, thank you very much. All time favorite is still Caffe Vita from Seattle, or Tully's, if I am near one somewhere on the West Coast. I'll try anything twice, but am a tough sell on replacing my true favorites (again, a reason this blog exists)!

A friend down the street surprised me with a jar of her homemade pineapple salsa. Since chips and salsa are a staple item (one of the 4 food groups, actually) in this household, and I have a salsa addiction, I was excited. I had never tried a tomato-based pineapple salsa before, and I have to say, I liked it! It was definitely different, and I ate the entire jar in 2 days, so I guess different is good :) I think this would be amazing on grilled tilapia, or mixed with rice and beans. A nice change of pace from a lot of cilantro.

Josh Cabernet (Vintage 2011) was actually something I tried a few weeks back, but I somehow forgot to mention it. This was a recommendation by a friend whose palate I trust more than just about anyone else's. I love how winemakers describe their wines as "approachable". What does that even mean? Have you ever met an unapproachable wine? C'mon. Yet Josh is one that I have approached several times already and loved it each time. I always love a confident cab with a soft finish that doesn't overpower everything. I think that's what "approachable" must mean :)

New Henry Stuff for Week 19:

• First time he reached up and held my hand while we were out walking. He even said, "holding momma's hand" and looked up at smiled at me :) MELT. Of course, on another occasion out walking, I reached down to grab his hand as we were crossing an intersection, and he had a complete meltdown the whole rest of the way home...

• Got our first library card! This boy loves his books, and we go through them pretty quickly now. Even with eBaying, a children's book habit (or an adult one, ahem, my HUSBAND) can spiral out of control REAL fast. The library (L-I-B-R-A-R-Y) is loads of fun :) xoxo

Week 17: Exploring Kansas City with the Mad Ones

In Week 17, we explored some new parts of Kansas City with some very dear Fort Leavenworth friends of ours who happen to be moving way [too] soon. It is a funny concept, time, because one year is not enough time to get to know people you don't initially (really) click with on more than a surface level. Yet for those rare souls of whose intensity Love will only ever partially satisfy (the ones you seem to know immediately), one year is but a blink of an eye or a thousand years, you know? Like either way, the concept of a year is pretty meaningless. 

These friends are of the latter sort - The ones you'd still be friends with even if Facebook wasn't around after they moved to create the illusion that you are somehow going to be friends for life :)

I promise I have not even had a single glass of wine while writing this. In case you're wondering.

 “the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.”
 -Jack Kerouac, On the Road

City Market

This place is an outdoor market that has been around since the 1920's, in the style of my beloved Pike's Place Market in Seattle. Though nobody was throwing fish, we still enjoyed a fresh cup of coffee and a good chat with the owners from City Market Coffeehouse. I bought black jelly beans from Plantars Seed Co Herbs and Spices, watched the giant riverboat wheel spin at the Riverboat Museum, enjoyed yummy gyro meat and hummus from a Mediterranean cafe, and best of all, bought cumin and anise for $1 a scoop from the Arabic Market. Amazing find and a wonderful day out with JUST mommas :) We need some more of those. I look forward to heading back down here when the weather is a bit warmer and all of the vendors are out!

Sea Life Aquarium

I would recommend this as the perfect weekday place for kids 5 and under. Henry went with his 2 best buddies, and I think they all had a marvelous time, but it is small, and I would definitely not recommend ever going on a crowded day! We were so lucky to have experienced this with only a few other families and one school group on a weekday! The whole thing takes only about 30 to get through, and I highly recommend getting your tickets in advance, online, rather than at the door. Not only do you save $4, but you actually have a chance of getting in. I am so glad we finally did this and that Henry is at an age where we don't (usually) need the stroller anymore. Pretty good find...just plan accordingly :) 

Week 16: Craving Comfort and Navigating Toddler Independence

Week 16 brought with it a new level of stress (can that be considered something "new"?) when I began to realize that there is no way humanly possible that I can cram all of the needed test information from every field of science into my brain before July 20. Middle Grade science teachers, I cannot believe you had to take this test! It is insane. I feel like it would be easier if I just took the one for High School biology and said to heck with it! Alas, I cannot. I am determined that I can somehow pass this. Come on, brain, you can do it (insert sound of creaky stairs, here)! :) In any case, Week 16 was all about craving comfort, be it comfort foods, comfortable clothes, yummy smells (with the exception of the downstairs pee-pee bathroom/Henry's office), good friends, good wine, hot tea, and Lego city parties.

I'll be the first one to admit that when it comes to comfort, I don't like new things. I love my rut and my old standbys. Stress comes, and I am like a donkey in mud when it comes to trying new things. That was one of the main reasons I began this blog - To force myself out of the rut I knew would come :) Having a 2-year old helps a lot with that because you start seeing the World through their eyes, which see everything new. Then, you become inspired to keep trying. Having friends also helps with that because when you don't feel like being adventurous, they are there to at least make you try a new food or suggest a new way of doing something. 

This week, my very dear friends across the street brought Henry and I an extremely good, new comfort food: Corn Chowder with Roasted Tomatillos and Poblano. I think they actually roasted the corn too, which was amazing. It is vegan, gluten-free, and soooo good with crusty bread and of course, a frothy ale.

Other Week 16 Newness:

• Overland Park Farmer's Market: The City of Overland Park is about an hour away from Fort Leavenworth. We went on opening day of the Market, so not all of the vendors from the list were there, but it was good! We walked away with carrot oatmeal raisin cookies, fresh olive oil rosemary bread, and farm-fresh eggs! I am looking forward to going again.

• First Dentist Appointment: As traumatized as Henry was (he screamed bloody murder the entire visit), he now blesses "the dentist" in our nightly prayers :) After that experience, so do I.

• Down the Stairs: Apparently, Henry has decided to start walking down the stairs front-facing, like a big boy. The first time I saw him do this, my heart leaped out of my mouth and onto the floor, but he made it the whole way, and then exclaimed, "all by myself!!" complete with one giant, sweet grin :) 

• New Running Partner: Our first running date went well! I love it when people say they don't usually talk when they run and then talk the entire run :) Or when they say they are slow and will probably have to walk and then you are sprinting to catch up with them. This new one, she's a high-energy character. I immediately liked her (before we even ran) because she was ready 15 minutes early. 

Week 15: Pure Goodness

In Week 15, my 2-1/3 year-old said bye-bye to his binky forever (pacifier). He still had been using it for naps and nighttime, but one day, it went to the play with Bambi, and it started to rain. Since binky doesn't like getting wet, he just stayed with Bambi and Thumper, warm and dry. We'll probably see him again, but he's decided to stay for a while :) In the meantime, Binky has been replaced with bedtime stories, which seemed to be a pretty smooth transition.

Other new goodness for Week 15:

• Poop on the Potty: We had several days in a row of him telling me he had to go, me listening, and then him going. We also had a couple of him not telling me until after he had gone, or him telling me and me not listening, or him telling me and then not going until I put his pullup back on. But progress!!

• Roasting sticks: Our amazing friends who happen to live across the street came over for dinner and brought one of the best presents, ever, and they had them handmade by prisoners! They are amazing and so well-crafted, and I have always wanted fancy roasting sticks! The memories I have of camping and roasting marshmallows with my family as a kid are not only some of my favorite; they have become somewhat sacred because they include my sister when she was still innocent - Long before the vicious cycle of addiction became her. It is amazing how you preserve the people you love. Everyone does it differently. In my preservation of her, we happen to be camping, and she has a face covered in sticky marshmallows and dirt.

• The BOB: I have been running with Henry for almost 2 years in the JEEP. The JEEP has served us well for $175. We have logged many, many miles, both on and off-road on that thing. But, after 6 miles the other day, we blew a flat. The following day, I borrowed our friends' BOB Revolution. It was like nothing I had ever experienced running with Henry. First of all, he was completely weightless (vs. the Jeep where it feels like I am pushing 50 lbs). Second, the shock absorption? OH MY GOSH: phenomenal. I felt nothing. And finally, the turning capabilities - This thing turns on a dime. Now, ideally, for running 5-6 miles, you would want a fixed wheel (and a 16" rather than the 12" front wheel), so after much research and emailing random marathoners, we decided to purchase the BOB SUS. Apparently, this model has even better shock absorption than the Revolution (which is insane to even imagine), and is truly off-road capable and durable. We found a pretty good deal (about $100 less than the sticker price) from a dealer on Amazon. Extremely excited! I honestly did not think that by this age, Henry would still like running with me! If anything, he likes it even more, and we are able to go longer distances, which is great! My sweet buddy bee. He has probably figured out that Momma is a lot less grouchy when she runs, haha.

• Lab Safety Procedures: I know you are all at the edge of your seats with the excitement of our lives right now, so you will be even more excited when I tell you that this week, I memorized the Lab Safety Procedures manual for teaching science labs to Jr High and High-schoolers. Someone gets HCl on their skin? I can handle that. A fire in the lab? No problemo. A funny smell? Evacuate. Oh yes. Your children will be safe with me. And they will map recessive alleles in fruit flies like there is no tomorrow.

• Five Guys Burgers and Fries: There is a first time for everything, but few are as memorable as this cheeseburger. Danger, danger, danger. Hands-down, best burger and fries I have ever had. Unbelievable.

Week 13: A New Poem, Friend Dating and the No Nap Zone

New in Week 13? First, some new poetry:

little, muddy shoes lay strewn across 
the kitchen floor like sleeping kittens
whose bellies bulge from too much milk.
when they wake, clods of dirt will
my shadow, be.
I am grounded by it - the sound
of pitter-patter 
-Becca, 2013 (allbrandnewin52.blogspot.com)

There are many new things to report on this week. First, I might as well tell you all that we are dating again, and it is going very well! Henry and I have met some keepers :) Yep, back in the saddle, as they say. You think friend dating is different than romantic dating? Think again. It is a natural part of life if you ever relocate, start or end a job, quit drinking, start drinking, get married or divorced, have kids, or experience any other major change of life, it seems. And friend dating now, I am more picky; I know what I want. I love being sociable, but not to the point where I will just hang out with anyone because they are a warm body. I have recently realized that I want the same thing that I wanted when I met my Husband: A bonafide, normal person without hangups, who doesn't try to one-up you but who, instead, makes you want to be a better person in some way. Negative people, victims, drama queens, multiple personality disorder...you need not apply. I was talking to M about this the other day, and she also brought up the good point that how they treat/discipline their own kids becomes a factor - So true. I have a large amount of respect for moms who correct their children in public places - Moms who are paying attention and not just letting their kids run rampant through the streets, screaming their heads off at 1am...ahem...

I have the best collection of friends a person could ask for, but it is nice to have in-the-flesh folks who you can go on a walk with or saunter into their house and their dog attack-licks you and coffee is ready in a steaming mug of hello how are you and no one blinks twice about the fact that the kids are still in their pajamas at 2pm. And those are the rare ones (or the ones who have moved/are soon-to-be moving, booo!).    

Week 13 represents the 25% milestone! Yes, friends, we are a quarter of the way through 52 :) Here are the new things we did to celebrate:  

• went on a blind friend date and loved both mom and sons

• went to a new playgroup at a new library outside of town

• tried 3 new recipes (red lentil curry, orzo salad, and stuffed cherry tomatoes), all of which I would make again, though I have decided lentils are never as good as they are the second day. Fact.

• went to a new local farm to buy fresh goat milk (Screamin' Oaks in Tonganoxie)

• tried a new mom and pop cafe with blueberry pancakes as big as your head (Mirth Cafe Too) 

• experienced a snow-storm in mid-March

• began 2 new crochet projects, one of which is for ME (a big-time first!!!)

• treated myself to a new pair of DKNY Bermuda skinny shorts, my wardrobe for spring :)

• Henry decided to give up napping. This may be a phase or a new routine, but for the past 2 weeks, he has only gone down a couple of times. He lays in his room and reads his books for about 45 minutes and then gets up. He also is sleeping much longer at night, so I really have nothing to complain about. But I'd be lying if I said this was not an initial shock to the system (in week 13, mommy drank a LOT of wine...)

• tried a new beer! Sofie Belgian Ale 2012 (thank you, M!) It was citrus, honey-cream, and very ripe banana, which was not overpowering due to the very strong, tangy lime overtones. I thought it was good by itself and would have it again.  

• We received a very sweet Easter care package from Daddy this week...complete with Chuck the Truck stickerbook, a steamroller playdough set, and Godiva chocolates :) Best package ever.

Week 12: Precious Life

“It is nothing to die. It is frightful not to live.” 

-Victor Hugo, Les Miserables

In Week 12, we experienced many new things, among which was some very happy news! First, Ted and I found out that one of our very closest friends suffered from a bi pulmonary embolism comprised of several blood clots in the lungs. He originally thought he was having a heart attack because the symptoms were essentially the same, so he thankfully called 911 in time. This man is in his mid 30's, does not drink or eat junkfood, is a former gymnast, for goodness' sake, and does not otherwise fit the bill for this condition at all. I was obviously so happy to hear he was okay and well-taken care of, but the thought crossed my mind that, if this man had not made it, he would have lived a very full and purpose-driven life; one that he should be proud of. And the older and more grouchy and cantankerous I become, the more I realize that I don't want to be close to people who I am not truly proud of. Who has time? Vince, if you are reading this, Ted and I love you, and friend, we are damn proud of you.

How do you spend your numbered days? Are you proud of them? Do you think God is proud of them?

We also received the news that my baby brother (Brother #3) and his wife are expecting their first child! Could this be the 7th boy, or will we finally have a little girl in the family? I can't wait to find out! Will and Whitney are going to make excellent parents. 

Other new things to report for Week 12:

• I finished East of Eden and began a non-fiction (memoir): Reading Lolita in Tehran. I am inhaling every word like a crack addict. Not only does Nafasi write BEAUTIFULLY, but if ever words had meaning, this compilation is indeed a powerful source of it! Regarding East of Eden, I loved it and am so glad I read it, but I was not crazy about the way he ended it. I guess it had to end, sometime. Perhaps I just don't like endings.

• Henry and I went to the Crayola store in downtown Kansas City. It was so much fun! We got some new triangle crayons with 24 colors (not the huge, chunky box of 4 colors you see at the store). Henry loves it when I color pictures of the Thomas the Train characters. Luckily, trains are easy :) I am otherwise a terrible artist! One day, he'll realize that :)

• My 2-year old actually, willingly, tried a "new" fruit, ate the whole thing, and asked for more. This is HUGE because at 12 months old up until now, he started refusing any food with a slimy or wet texture. He has only willingly eaten bananas, raisins, and apple slices (but rarely apple slices). I continued to offer him fresh fruits (and veggies) the entire last year, which I am now glad of!

• Henry also has started sharing with me. He is NOT a good sharer at all, so this was awesome to see. And he shared his stickers, no less. Pretty big time :) He's getting so grown-up! 

• Okay, one more new Henry thing and I'll stop: Naps...He has started not taking one 1-2 days per week. On those days, he sleeps for like 11-12 straight hours and wakes up a very happy boy, so I don't mind (too much).    

Week 11: Marshmallows on the Potty and a New Running Partner

What's new for Week 11? What? Where? How am I supposed to keep track of the weeks when I don't even know what day of the week it is? Well, friends, that is what happens when you spend 85% of your time in the bathroom and/or talking about the bathroom and/or making the bathroom the place to be. We have books...stacks and stacks of glorious books. We have marshmallows for a successful potty, and we have the portable DVD player, complete with Blues Clues and stacks of clean undies. Who wouldn't want to hang out in this bathroom, I ask you? Is it working? Well, kind of. I have noticed he is dry a lot more when I go to check him, and he seems to like going in there. My gut tells me he may be on the early end of the spectrum for all of this right now because he doesn't always wake up dry, but we have time, and he is willing, so we're headed down the path at least. 

Other new things for Week 11:

• A new running partner! I prefer to run solo 99% of the time, but my friend, Meghan and I went for a short running date together early on in the week. We did good! That particular day, I don't think I would have run had we not been meeting. It was cold, rainy, windy, and it was my first real run after being sick for so long. I would have bagged that run for a mug of hot tea and building Duplo houses in a heartbeat. And thus, the reason we need running partners from time to time. I think M will be a good running partner because she has that quality about her where she will try anything, and she's fun. The thing with Meghan is that she is built like a super model, so one of her legs literally comes up to my head, and one of her steps is 3 of my hobbit steps :) 

• First lot box of used children's books from eBay: $6 for 30 awesome books!!! So fantastic.

• Memory! Remember that game? Henry and I have been playing it a while now, and he finally gets what a match is. Super cute, and probably my favorite game besides I-Spy. Kid games are so fun! 

• Henry's first chest cold: Terrifying experience, in general, and yes, I woke up every 2 hours for 3 days straight to check on his breathing. And yes, he's getting better. And yes, I am beyond tired and beyond thankful for my healthy little chubby-cheeked boy. Words will never express my gratitude for his health or for the listening ears of family and friends who kept me sane this week.

Week 9: Oscars Parties and Puppy Dogpiles

We did not try as many new things in Week 9 because I spent most of it being sick and road-tripping back to Kansas with my favorite 2-year old buddy. But, in spite of the continued and worsening sickness, our last days in San Diego with Daddy were happy ones and included one of my new favorite memories. I spent much of our last full day as a family together for a long while in Urgent Care, but Henry and Ted had some good quality time together, which made all of us happy. I was too sick to even be sad at that point, and all I remember is going into the bedroom to lay elevated on some pillows, after taking copious amounts of randoms, which included something with codeine as well as ZzzQuil, nasal spray, and essential oils. I turned on the Oscars, and my sweet husband and son crawled up in bed with me with their new Thomas the Train I-spy book, and we had the absolute best cuddle time ever AND we got to witness that spectacular mini-show of Les Miserable (Ted was especially excited about that part). And finally...eventually...I fell asleep in a big puppy-love pile. 

I've never hosted an Oscar party before, but I think I will, from now on. Especially if there is a Thomas the Train, puppy-pajama dogpile with my sweet family included :)  

Henry and I are home now, safe and sound, and I am slowly but surely starting to feel better. I am thankful for our special time with Auntie Shana, Uncle Eddy, Cousin Ira and Baby Leif and with our other good friends in San Diego (and so, so sorry for missing the ones we missed due to being sick!) 

We miss our other Third already. I feel like I left with a lot of doubts and nervousness about how this year was going to work and whether or not any of us (Ted, Henry, or myself) were strong enough to handle (insert whatever you can think of inserting, here). I think I came back knowing that I am not, and being totally okay with it because Ted and Henry aren't either. 'Cause ya know what? None of us are that strong - We aren't supposed to be. So, you just accept weakness sometimes and move forward - And often times that is when you finally allow growth and healing and figure out what it is you are supposed to be doing. It helps especially, when you come home to find a homemade lasagna and pot of daffodils on your counter :) 
  

In addition, I left with a 2-year old and came home with a 2.25-year old. Apparently, there is a difference! Most amazing, impressive kid, this one. I just loved driving home across New Mexico and Northern Texas with him in the bright morning sun. I will never forget that. I hopefully will forget how over road-tripping he was by the time we were in Northern Oklahoma :)

Other new things I tried in Week 9:

• Dermatologica skincare products. I love Proactiv, but here in Kansas my pruny skin cannot handle that much Benzoyl Peroxide. Plus, it's time for some grown-up makeup.

• ZzzQuil. I love this product. It works. 5/5 stars.

• Chicken tortilla soup from Islands - So yummy for sick mommas (but without the cheese).

Week 7: Mermaids and Talking to the Ocean

Week 7 has been a busy and wonderful week in San Diego! We have had great fun visiting our old stomping grounds and have tried many new things. Ted has been working very hard getting his crew ready to pass inspections for their upcoming deployment and fitting in quality family time with us while we are here. Of course, we wish we could see more of him, but I cannot be sad about being able to get in quality girl time and conversations with my best friends and my son, every day! One of my favorite new things that we did this week was just sit on the beach and watch the waves crash against the sand (Henry and I). He seems to love doing this as much as running in the sand, and one day he just plopped down and I sat down next to him, and we began telling our story of the little boy who talks to the ocean. This may top my favorite Henry memory list :) What an amazing son I have. 

Other new things we did or tried in Week 7:

• A new beer! Coronado Brewing Co. Mermaid's Red Amber Ale: Ted did not care for this because it was too hoppy and therefore too much like an IPA and unlike his favorite nutty ambers that teeter on being brown ales (in my opinion). I normally dislike IPAs as well because they taste like perfume, but I have to say, I liked how they did this. Even though it was hoppy, it had just enough of a fruity twist to overpower the floral notes, and what I ended up getting was something along the lines of peach and rose petal hues. I actually liked it, which is weird because I normally do not like any hint of fruit or floral in my beer, whatsoever. I guess this is a great example of how complex craft beers can be and why one should continue to try new things :)

• Balboa Park Science Center: One of my girlfriends here has a daughter Henry's age, so we took them to the upstairs area of the IMAX Science Center, where they have this great play/discovery room for kiddos under 5. We've done a couple of things like this before with Henry, and he seemed to be a little overwhelmed and overstimulated, and it wasn't all that fun. So, I was really happy that he had such a great time here and wanted to stay and explore all of the activities. He is at the perfect age for this stuff at this point, but up until this point, I really don't think he has been. Every kid is so different! I love spending time with other kids his age and noticing all of the diversity in 2-year olds.

• 1-20: Henry can now count to 20, which is cool, but the concept of "how many" doesn't necessarily have anything to do with being able to count. For example, if I ask him how many feet he has, he may count to 2 or 4, depending on his mood :) He also seems to have a good memory for numbers such as street addresses and such. 

• The Little Red Caboose: We got a new book, and he loves reading it to us, which is also a new thing (him reading to us). He is a very good memorizer. Future botanist? :)

• I finished a crochet project (that was a fast one!)...

• I think I have officially decided what I am going to do when I grow up (what I am going to do for a career when Henry starts pre-school when we move to Northern Virginia next year). I've known I was not going to go back to being a field biologist or a consultant since I left my job. I thought for a long time about going for my Master's in Occupational Therapy and teaching people how to do the small things that will empower them to live their lives again after they've been in accidents. I've also thought about getting my teaching credential and teaching biology and/or earth science at the Jr High level. I've been thinking heavily about this all year, and I think I am going to teach. When I was interning after college, I got a lot of opportunity to teach environmental science projects to kids of all ages, but Jr High was my favorite, and having strong female role models in the science community is a topic that is becoming more and more important to me the older I get. I think it would be fun because I have 10 years of experience working in the field and could (hopefully) transfer that passion of nature and of science to kids. The idea of being a substitute teacher for a while also appeals to me because I could get teaching experience while still being able to be there for my family in the way that I would like to be. I haven't really talked to a lot of people about any of this, so if any of this comes as a shock to anyone, hopefully it is a good shock :) 

          Climb aboard, explorers!! :)