eye candy

Feast your eyes on this...

I know it's kinda blurry, but I think it's worth a peek, don't you? What a ham.

the big o-one

{I'm treating this one more like a journal entry than a blog post...I guess I've needed to get this off my chest for a while now}

Last year on this day, I was a wreck. You see, I had an OB appointment that morning and found out that I would be induced the next morning. So this was, in my mind, my LAST DAY WITH EMERSON. People kept telling me that she wouldn't be going anywhere, but I was 9 months pregnant and not the easiest person to reason with.

I was excited, anxious, restless, and uncomfortable, and filled with anticipation of what March 19th would bring. Boy, was I ever in for a ride.

I'd be lying if I said that the day of Pete's birth was one of the best days of my life. While I wouldn't say that I was disappointed when he was born, there was definitely a feeling of disbelief. I was broken-hearted, not because my baby boy wasn't picture perfect, mind you, but because I know that life is hard enough without throwing in a physical disability. As a parent, you just hate to see your kids struggle. So being born with a disability, we knew Pete would have a larger share of difficulties ahead, and that made us sad.

{if you're new to the blog and wondering what the heck I'm talking about, click here.}

Between the pain of the epidural not working and the stadol only serving to make me loopy without actually helping me to feel any better AND the shock of hearing "It's a boy!" and "There's something wrong with your baby" in a one minute span, that whole experience was not one I'd wish on anyone. Add to that a squadron of doctors whisking our new baby away for a battery of tests to rule out one syndrome or another (and believe me, syndrome is NOT a word you want to hear in the delivery room), and you have one stressful, nerve wracking day.

Of course, now I have the benefit of looking back a year later, knowing what I know now, and I just want to tell March 2010 me that it really WILL be ok. Pete is one of the most enjoyable people on the whole planet. God gave him a smile and a laugh that would crack absolutely anyone. (I'm contemplating taking him to London and sitting in front of one of those Buckingham Palace guards that stands stone-faced all day. Pete would give them a run for their money, that's for sure.) He's one of the most determined people, let alone babies, that I know, and he's such a hard worker. He's my Bug, and I wouldn't trade a dozen left arms for the Pete that I have been blessed with.

But on March 19th of 2010, I didn't know or feel any of that. On that day, in that moment, it was tough to process.

Not sure what the point of all of this rambling is, other than to get it out of my mind and into the ether. Thanks for listening.

my husband...

• gives the best back rubs on earth. Maybe even in the Universe
• does an outstanding impersonation of Mickey Mouse, guaranteed to crack a smile on the face of even the grouchiest kid
• is not a morning person, but still gets up with Pete to give him his bottle while I'm getting dressed...EVERY DAY
• makes a mean latte
• loves to cook
• is tireless when it comes to playing and pretending and imagining and creating with the kids-this is an area that I stink at and I'm so glad the kids have him!
• still tries to make me laugh with potty humor, even after 14 years of failed attempts
• does not complain when I take off for a 2 hour run on Saturday mornings, leaving him with Thing 1 and Thing 2
• taught me to read my Bible and encourages me to strengthen my relationship with God
• does not get nearly enough attention here on the Blog, but needs to know that he is adored by all 3 of us!

Love you, Booey!

pillowcase dresses on the brain

So I got a Hanna Andersson catalog yesterday, and saw this darling pillowcase dress. It's only $19, which seems pretty reasonable, but it got me thinking "I could make that." Really. I think I could make that. And, I'm guessing that it'd be less than $19.

So I Googled "pillowcase dresses" and found a website with simple directions for sewing impaired people, which I am, complete with lots of pictures. Now I'm really thinking that I can do this. I just have to carve out the time to make this happen. The directions seem to indicate that it can even be done in one evening. Hmm. We'll see. It will likely take me that long to change the thread on that little spindle under the needle. You know the one.

{That was the worst thing about Home Ec. Well, that and my teacher's spitting lisp, which we felt/heard quite frequently when she said "thweathirt", "cuttherd", and "Mithus Watherth"-sweatshirt, custard, and Mrs. Waters, respectively}

I'm going to have to carve out the time to get this done, because I really like it. Then the challenge will be to get her to wear it. Funny, I have a friend whose daughter will only wear dresses. Mine will only wear pants. If this turns out cute, but Emerson won't touch it, it's coming your way, Kate!

finally, a good banana bread recipe

I love to bake and I love to eat, and I truly enjoy a good banana bread. But I feel like really delicious banana bread is hard to come by. Usually it's so dry. Bleech.

I found this in an old magazine that I picked up at the check out line in 2003 and though I'd give it a try. I was not expecting much, so imagine my delight when I tasted it. Oh. My. Goodness. It's really good! And very easy too. Emerson had a grand time helping me measure and dump all the ingredients. She's a future chef in training, for sure!


3/4 cup butter, softened (I used tub spread)
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
6 mashed ripe bananas
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Butter (I used cooking spray) a loaf pan. Whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, and salt; set aside.

Cream butter and sugar in an electric mixer. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer on low, alternate adding flour and bananas. Mix until just combined. Stir in nuts by hand, if using.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out with only a few moist crumbs, 60-70 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in pan, then turn out onto a wire rack to continue cooling.

YUM!

earning her keep

Know what Emerson did today?

C'mon. Guess.

Ok, I'll tell you...she put all of the clean silverware away after the dishwasher was done. For real. Like, I didn't help her at all. Praise God for a step stool in the kitchen. I trip over the blasted thing 20 times a day, but today, I didn't mind stubbing my toes one bit.

For years, seemingly, I've been saying to Jeff "When will she be old enough to empty the dishwasher?"{It's my Most Hated Drudgery} And for years, he's said "Um, don't hold your breath."

So, when I got the wild idea that today might be the day, I was cautiously optimistic. And she bought it, hook, line, and sinker. {Love that preschoolers quiver with excitement at anything that seems "big" to them, like Mama's boring old housework. Definitely a redeeming quality of 3 1/2 year-olds.}

I'm going to milk this for all it's worth!

is it friday yet?

Let's see...in the last 3 hours before bedtime I:

* cleaned diarrhea out of a small heinie with my bare hand (using a washcloth for that is somehow even more disgusting to me)

* swept, vacuumed, and wet-wiped up broken glass so that Pete, aka Hoover, doesn't eat it

* got poked squarely in the eye

* was vomited on so profusely that I even had to change my underwear

AND

~got sweet compliments from Emerson about the yummy mashed potatoes (which, apparently did not agree with Pete. See vomit above.)

~ watched my two kiddos play together and laugh their heads off

~ had lots of giggles blowing zerberts (you may know these as raspberries) on Emerson's cheeks and neck

~ enjoyed dinner and bedtime as a family


See. It all works out ok.