18 weeks and counting

So, I feel like I am clawing and crawling my way to the end of the semester this week, trying to get through, so I can commit more time to studying for comps. And needless to say, I am so brain dead from writing papers, I don't feel like I have much to say this week In the meantime, here I am at 18 weeks, along with an even more adorable picture of June Apple and her new friend.

Dear Baby Bear,


When I was pregnant with your sister, all I wanted to eat was fruit. Couldn't get enough of it, especially berries and apples (name choice a complete coincidence). This time around all you seem to be asking for is anything sour, pickled, fermented and vinegary- sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles (I know, a cliche), dilly beans, pepperocini, salads with Italian dressing (especially Olive Garden salads). So what does this all mean? I think it means you'll like to spice it up and take the road less traveled. That you'll like to kick it up a notch and go out on a limb when you need to. Or maybe you'll just like pickles. But we are not naming you Penny or Peter Pickle. No worries there.


I love you more than sauerkraut and kimchi,
Mama

Best Rendition of a Much Lived Life

We had a truly AWESOME Thanksgiving this year, with family driving in from Cincinnati, DC and Vermont. You know, I really have to admit that having a baby is like a magnet when it comes to getting your family to visit you, and I will happily take advantage of that whenever I can.


Thanksgiving is, hands down, my favorite holiday. First of all, it is a wonderful excuse to bring all your friends and family around my favorite place: the table. Second, it involves one of my favorite past times- planning and cooking a massive meal. Third, Thanksgiving is about one of my favorite feelings: gratitude. And I have so, so much to be grateful for this year: An amazing husband who continues to astound me with his ability to inject love, levity and passion into every inch of our lives. A husband who went out and killed us a wild turkey for this year's feast! A husband who is not only an amazing partner but an amazing father to our Squirrel Girl. We are so lucky to be in a place in our lives that allows us the flexibility to take care of June Apple at home, without having to have her in daycare. We have been blessed with incredible friends and family who graciously help us take care of June when we are both at work and school. I have a group of 8(!) girlfriends who rotate taking care of June Bug on Thursday nights when Amos has a gig and I am in class until 10pm. To say I am thankful for these women is an understatement. I am so grateful to be close to our families, as their love, support and endless supply of baby booties (Mom) overwhelms me. Speaking of support, the flexibility, baby-love, and encouragement that I have felt from the counseling psych department and my supervisor and co-workers in the teaching and learning department at U of L, allows me to really have my cake and eat it, too.


And then there's June Apple. Sometimes I look at her and the immensity of my gratitude literally takes my breath away. How did I get so lucky? I never, ever, take for granted what a gift she is in our lives, as I am painfully aware that her's is a gift not everyone in my life has been able to receive. My heart aches with the weight of my love for her and I am so grateful that she is happy, healthy, and much, much loved. Oh, and she's pretty cute, too.


Wow, re-reading this post makes it seem like an Oscar acceptance speech. I forgot to thank the Academy. An Oscar for Best Rendition of a Much Lived Life.


So here are some pictorial highlights from the day:

 All in all, an excellent day spent with excellent people eating excellent food!

Halloween Squirrel

 

Okay, so this past Monday marked June Apple's first Halloween. She helped pass out candy and stayed content in her little squirrel costume for much longer than I expected. All the hub bub clearly wore her out because she fell right to sleep instead of playing on our bed for 15-30 minutes like she usually does before bed. Having a baby too young to care what they dress up as is awesome, because before we know it, she's going to be like I was, and insist on being a boring old "punk rocker" for 4 years straight. 

Amos and I were very disappointed over the lack of homemade costumes (except for one very cool Teen Wolf), particularly those made from cardboard boxes. Come on, kids! Cardboard is the magic key to endless costume possibilities! Case in point: Here is a picture of my brother Josh (Crest), a neighbor (card) and his half sister Lynn (present), from the 1980's:

Awesome, right?! Where have kids creativity gone?! Or rather, where have parents creativity gone?! My mom and I made June Apple's costume out of a bear suit and an old mink coat. I envision many more homemade costumes to come, hopefully with cardboard.


Even though June Apple didn't eat any candy this year, Amos and I certainly did! With reckless abandon! Halloween officially starts the season of abundance and, at times, overabundance. I came across an awesome blog, "Its Not About Nutrition: The Art and Science of Teaching Your Kids to Eat Right", written by food sociologist, foodie and mom, Dr. Dina Rose. Her recent post talked about how to deal with all the candy and your kids and I think it makes a lot of sense. Her strategies include:


1. Think of Halloween as a big buffet. Teach your kids to be browsers not loaders. Encourage then to scan their stash- perhaps by sorting by category first- so they choose to save (and eat) what they like best.  


2. Encourage your children to take a taste test.  Have them sample one bite from any ( and every) candy that looks interesting and compare how different candies look, taste, smell, and how they feel in their hands, in their mouths and in their tummies.


3. Teach your kids to think BIG. Proportion- eating foods in relation to their healthy benefits- is, hands down, the most important thing you can teach your kids about eating. Especially in today's environment where sweets and treats (read crap) are everywhere. Rather than getting caught up in the control struggle, teach your kids to think BIG. Talk to them about proportion and how to integrate inferior foods into their diets in a way that works. Its only by talking about sweets in context of the overall diet that kids can learn to manage their eating.


Dr. Rose also has other great tips, including resisting becoming the Sugar Police which results in the following unintended lessons:


1. I am going to throw it away so you better eat as much as you can now.


2. Candy has power.


3. Feel guilty when you eat candy.


4. Its best to eat candy when your full- (which leads to them overeating).


5. You're not to be trusted around candy.


This all makes so much sense to me, as I want to raise June to enjoy and savor good food, including sweets, as a part of a varied, healthy, balanced diet. Read more of Dr. Rose's great post at:
http://itsnotaboutnutrition.squarespace.com


And also check out this HILARIOUS video of what happens when you don't follow Dina's advice, and instead eat all of your kid's candy:


http://devour.com/video/i-ate-all-your-halloween-candy/


Happy Halloween!