Apr
28
2010
(I love my husband. He makes me laugh! He probably even did this on purpose :-p)
Apr
26
2010We’ve had so many opportunities to revel in family this week. I wish I could just jot it all down moment by moment, but it’s just not possible. Here’s a tiny list of what I’m thankful for:
382. Little Toes to paint while they munch on banana in a mesh feeder
383. Changing diapers in my Sister’s astro-turf clad trunk
384. Laughter as one of the girls spits up all over my sister who is scared of drool 🙂
385. Aeralind laughing at Grandpa Campbell
386. Bronwyn stroking the mustache
387. Both girls staring at Grandma Campbell while finishing their pears
388. The drive to Columbia to see them, while singing Rich Mullins with Derek
389. The drive back from Cola, two exhausted girls asleep, while Derek and I had priceless time to just talk
390. Derek’s new-found ability to make both girls laugh hysterically when making crazy noises and rubbing his face on their tummies
391. Derek jumping up during prayer time at church to get me tissues without me asking
392. Going down the slides at the park with the girls in their Moby Wraps
393. Silly family self-portraits
394. All four of us tucked in bed Friday morning, chatting and snuggling
395. Giggles and Shrieks coming from the nursery as I set up my nursing pillow and Derek retrieves the babies
396. All four of us sitting at the dinner table chomping on Sweet Potato Fries
397. Staining the deck with the girls in Exersaucer’s aptly listening to me sing\
398. Little girls stealing their daddy’s glasses before he has a chance to stop them
399. Holding hands during bedtime prayers
Apr
26
2010This top started off as Alabama Stitch T-Shirt Corset. I’d made one forever ago that included hand stitched reverse applique daisies.
While I loved the shape, it was a little low for me and a little too short on my extra long torso. So once I had resigned to the fact that I had once again made something that I wouldn’t wear due to fitting issues, I tore out all those hand stitched seams and used it to retrace the pattern (I had borrowed the original pattern/book from the library and no longer had a paper copy). I added two inches in the waist and raised the neckline.
Of course, somehow in the tearing and pattern making things got a little wonky: especially at the armhole (and a little bit at the hem). So I added sleeves to fix the crazy armhole gaposis. I actually used the short puff sleeves from Sense and Sensibility’s Elegant Lady’s Closet pattern. However, I decided I liked the fluttery effect of not gathering the bottom of the sleeve and applying binding.
Finally I added a little hand stitched fabric rose to the neckline for a touch of embellishment.
It’s still a little on the short side for me and the hemline is a tad odd, but the coolness of the fluttering sleeves and the cute rose still make this a top that won’t just hide in the back of my closet unworn.
Apr
24
2010I love fish. It’s kind of ironic since I was raised by a man who cares for fish in a aquariums for a living. It’s an obsession that is like eating away your fathers life’s work, but that’s a thought for another post 😉
Salmon cakes and other things like meatloaf have been a mental challenge for me. They all contain bread crumbs and most purchased bread crumbs contain either cheese or whey. I wouldn’t mind making my own bread crumbs because it’s simple enough (stale or toasted bread spun through a food processor), but we go through bread at an incredible rate. I think I eat an entire loaf in about a 5 day span without my hubby’s help. So, in short, I have a hard time keeping enough bread on hand to make bread crumbs with. Sigh.
Last night I had a break through in this dilemma: why not use oatmeal instead? I’m happy to say that everything turned out well and yummy. I’m imagining so many possibilities for these salmon cakes: On a bun with a tomato and some bacon, on a bed of lettuce with some spicy cocktail sauce, as I served them last night with butternut squash pasta, or even as a finger food for the girls in a couple months. Mmm.
Salmon Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 Can of Salmon, mashed with a fork so that the bones aren’t as noticeable (this is a fantastic source of calcium for the dairy free momma)
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- a couple handfuls of old fashioned oats (I think instant might work just as well but you may have to use more)
- About 1 tsp Old Bay blackening seasoning (or regular)
Instructions
- Add enough oats to the beaten egg to make a kind of runny oatmeal texture.
- Stir in the Old Bay seasoning (or seasoning of your choice)
- Mash in the salmon and form into flat cakes with your hands.
- Fry in oil over medium heat until both sides are slightly crispy and the cake is warm throughout.
Apr
23
2010A month and a half ago I reached a milestone that I never even acknowledged. Sure, I’d been a mom for half a year and having 6 month olds was a blast! They’re even more fun now at 7 months 🙂 But I had reached a milestone even more amazing than that: I had supplied every single ounce of their nutrition for 6 solid and sometimes difficult months (except for 3 days supplementing with some formula at the beginning). We had struggled through c-section recovery, latching difficulties, plugged ducts and mastitis, overactive letdown, oversupply, reflux, a milk protein sensitivity, and the doubts/misinformation supplied by the well-intentioned folks around me. We had all cried so many times figuring each other out and working to get through it all.
But that six month milestone went unnoticed. Uncelebrated.
And that makes me sad. Breastfeeding is indeed beautiful and a very special bond, but it is also difficult and requires so much out of the dyad (or triad) to learn and maintain. Why don’t we as women celebrate this accomplishment in a noteworthy manner? Why don’t we take each other out for coffee or show up at someone’s doorstep with a balloon and a cookie and congratulate them on the biggest accomplishment to date?!
Instead, at six months we start hearing things like: when are you going to stop feeding them so often? When are you going to just pump and put milk in a sippy? You’ve made it to the 6 month mark, why don’t you give yourself a break and just do formula? Now that they’re on solids, you can relax.
Why can’t we just stop and celebrate? Lets take some time to enjoy the accomplishment and the sweet nursing relationship that has evolved from that steep 6 month learning curve.
Oh and, my friends who nurse, expect a chocolate chip muffin and some other little surprise when you get there. You deserve it 🙂
