Learning to Juggle

So now that there are three little ones in the house I can say that I fully understand the meaning, "chaos." Gone are the days where I was looking for a project, skimming through cookbooks or magazines, surfing the Internet, or lazing in front of "Food Network." I always thought I was a pretty good multi-tasker, but now I definitely have some skills. Breast feeding, making dinner, helping with homework, talking on the phone, and disciplining my two year old can now be done simultaneously (though I might count it as my work out!)

My dad just left after spending a weekend with our brood. It was a great visit...Saturday was lovely, so we ventured to Washington's Headquarters for a tour of the grounds and a picnic lunch on the grass. Other than our one outing, we stayed close to home and did nothing extraordinary...and yet my dad (who is so full of energy he normally works out twice a day) took at least one nap a day! It made me feel a little less guilty for abandoning my piles of laundry and avoiding scouring the bathrooms for a rest while the kids are snoozing (which I've been guilty of nearly every day the last three weeks!)

Every parent must be sleep deprived at some phase...maybe until their children leave home. However, it's my theory that most of these parents are the moms. Let me first say that my husband is wonderful about getting up with the newborn and changing and burping him, even on days that he's working. But if I don't nudge him forcefully, he'd sleep through 10,000 babies screaming in his ear. He falls asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow. And he heads up to bed without a glance to the unfinished dishes in the sink, the kitchen table that hasn't been wiped, or the pile of folded laundry that needs to be taken upstairs and put into drawers. Hmm. How nice!

After a long night last week with Hudson (who decided to wail between 2:30- 5 am), my husband says to me, "Why don't you get a good night's sleep tonight?" HA! First, he is out of town and I"m juggling the three kiddos plus trying to get the house together for my dad's arrival. Second, WE HAVE A THREE WEEK OLD. Third, our two year old and four year old wake up at 6:30AM regardless of what time they go to bed. (Fun for me, the anti morning person!)

Does he really think I enjoy being sleep deprived? I've read the benefits of sleep, and let me tell you- I'm a fan! 7 Hours of sleep a night can increase your metabolism, reduce your risk of several cancers, preserve your skin...even increase your lifespan. (Who wouldn't want 7 hours of sleep a night??!!!) I suppose I'll just have to day dream about a good night's sleep until this little guy gets on a schedule...or I get a child free vacation.

Fabulous Hawaii

We spent a glorious week in Oahu visiting family and enjoying a little warmth during this cold season. It's been almost 5 years since PR and I have been to Hawaii, and it's a little different when you have children with you- but still wonderful.
We enjoyed the Paradise Cove Luau- complete with the opportunity to see and hold parrots, take a canoe ride, make leis, and watch the roasted pig be lifted from the underground pit (I could have missed that part.) The food was okay, but actual show was stellar- hula dancers, fire jugglers (Owen's favorite part), the whole nine yards. I highly recommend it to anyone comparing luau shows. We also hiked Manoa falls- not quite 1 mile each way. The kids did pretty well, it was very scenic and the falls were beautiful. We did get rained on and soaking wet with mud...but it was all in the fun of the adventure. My sister in law also let us know about the Hilton Rainbow, which has just recently opened and has African penguins, flamingos, turtles, a big koi pond, and a man made lagoon perfect for families. It's just off the beach, stocked with tiny fish for the kiddos to enjoy, and open to the public. We were staying at the Hale Koa...it has a great kiddie pool which the kids enjoyed almost every day. It's in walking distance to the mall and all the great restaurants...including the newly opened PF Changs (to my delight!) The food wasn't quite on par with most other PF Changs, but really...can you complain? You're in Hawaii! We also dined at California Pizza Kitchen, which offered 20% off your bill if you asked for the discount when being seated. (We ate there for dinner, lunch, and ordered take out once and were given the discount in all cases.) The prices are higher at all restaurants than their other chains just because you're in Hawaii, so I guess the 20% was an incentive...and it worked on us! FYI- the kids .99 cent hot fudge sundae was ENORMOUS!!! Of course, I tried to enjoy as much seafood and fresh pineapple as possible. Yum. I was a bit disapointed, however, when the woman at the Dole Plantation picked out a $6 pineapple for me and I when I cut into it, it was bruised and past its prime. Thanks alot! The train ride was a big hit with the kids, and I could eat a Dole "WHIP" every single day of my life, so I won't hold it against them.

Other helpful travel tidbits...we went to the store and stocked up on breakfast stuff, juice boxes, and snacks to save and then were able to splurge on ice creams, shaved ice (very big in Hawaii), and seafood for dinner.

Now we're back to the cold. 10 Degrees to be exact. TEN! (And that's during the day.) Brrr.

Aloha!!

We leave tomorrow for Hawaii...and the timing couldn't be better! It started snowing this evening and more snow and rain is in the forecast for this week...I am so ready for 70 degrees and sunny!!! Of course, this means I'm up half the night packing things that I've left out until this point. I've had the piles of clothes for each of us sitting, waiting to be suitcased. My new tactic for packing is that I lay the things out for a few days to be sure there's not anything I'm forgetting (like the time I only packed one pair of shoes for Caroline, and she lost it in the airport as we arrived. Lovely!)
Since the new policy on airlines is to pay for every single checked bag, PR has limited me to two bags plus the car seat. We've decided to be a little crazy and attempt to put Caroline down in the bed with us (I can feel an ulcer forming in the pit of my stomach.) The luggage we're using is what I call "body bags," because they are monstrous and long like a golf bag. It is absolutely amazing how much you can cram into these suckers, and since I've been restricted from packing my hairdryer (hello ponytails), there's really nothing breakable. My only worry is that the baby shampoo is going to open and spill from those very trusty airtight Ziploc bags I pack them in and all our clothes will be bubbly. (Speaking from experience, unfortunately.)

Our second hurdle (after packing the bags to be no more than 50 pounds) is the ELEVEN hour flight. Yes, it is fabulous that we will not be bumped or miss our connecting flight by booking a direct flight...but ELEVEN hours???! I'm wondering what to do with Caroline for 10 of those hours, praying that the kid will sleep maybe a total of 1 hour. There's only so many $1 Target bin toys you can stuff in your carry on.

But, it will all be worth it....I can see it now, me- relaxing on the beach sipping a Pina Cola.....dangit! Okay, virgin Pina Colada is the best I'm going to do. Hawaii, here we come!~

Ready for Christmas...sort of

Eeek! Tomorrow we leave for Christmas at the in-laws, and I'm sure I've forgotten some critical item that will cause Christmas to be a total disaster. I have packed for everyone, including gifts (wrapped) and hostess baskets for everyone we'll be visiting. This means that if anything is missing, it's completely my fault. Why pack for my husband, you ask? First, there will be many pictures taken during the holidays, and while I love that he is proud of his Alma mater, I'd like for the pictures to show he wore more than one single shirt the entire holiday season. We've also had a few incidents where someone forgot to pack a belt or dress shoes or um, pants other than jeans.

There has been so much snow here that many of my planned errands have had to be nixed completely. I just cannot believe how it can snow for 7 hours straight! It's actually nice to watch, as long as you don't have anywhere to go. If you have one present left or desperately need milk...well, it's not so fun. But Owen and PR played outside most of today, and it was hilarious to see them construct their "igloo." Last year we didn't get very much snow...in fact, we had to build a "snow caterpillar" instead of a snowman because there was just no way we were getting any height.

My husband and I have devised a Christmas plan that we're trying to follow, as far as gifts go. We've explained that Santa visits and fills our stockings. And we give one gift to each child...boy is it hard not to get carried away! (You wouldn't believe how much I can stuff into those stockings. This is my loophole.) Of course, there are gifts from grandparents and cousins, so it's not like my child has 2 minutes of opening gifts and then Christmas is over...but we are hoping to hone in on the true celebration of Christmas.

I've heard some parents do the "three gifts" thing to mimic the gifts from the Maji...I like that idea, too. My biggest struggle is that December is so hectic with holiday parties and rushing around getting ready for the holiday...shopping, decorating, baking. I had hoped to spend time after dinner each night with the kids talking about Christmas. Owen has a Leggo advent calendar my mom sent- which he loves- and I like the idea of us spending time together as a family working on the little leggo project and then reading the story of Mary & Joseph. But this has only happened two nights this month. Maybe next year?

Disney IS the happiest place on earth!

We've returned home after 10 wonderful days in Orlando. As most families do, we packed in the activities to make the most of our vacation. What a trip!

Our first stop was the Kennedy Space Center. Owen was completely fascinated, "wowing" at everything. He especially enjoyed the 3D movie (it was quite entertaining watching him reach out to grab the 3D objects!)

Next we hit the zoo. Always a winner. It's been more than 6 months since we've visited a zoo, so for Caroline this was a fave. It was a small zoo in Melbourne, and there were staff that walked around with reptiles and other small animals the kids could touch and see up close. Plus, because it was so small, we were able to tackle it and still have time to go out to dinner with my hubby PR's close friends. (Sushi, yum!)

We then traveled to Orlando, where we stayed in a time share (Orange Lake) with my parents. Downtown Disney was our first adventure, and with the Leggos galore Owen was in heaven. The kids rode the carousel, and I had Caroline's shadow/ profile cut out made...Owen had one done at about the same age, so I'm excited to put them next to one another and compare. (Matching the frame is a different and not quite so delightful story.) Then we hosted a chocolate party for all the ladies in the family. It was a blast! The best part was, I didn't feel a bit guilty for eating chocolate for dinner (and dessert.) That's one definite benefit of being pregnant! : ) Thanksgiving was a great reunion of cousins and close relatives, and I loved to see the kids playing with their cousins. We visited Sea World and the Magic Kingdom, and I'm so glad we didn't try and squeeze in another park. The last day everyone went to the pool while I packed. (I was pouting about having to return to the snow and didn't really care to show off the outie belly button that's graced my widening middle.)

I even got a quick trip to the mall- what a glorious mall! I don't know who planned the malls around here, but most are outdoors (hello, did you not realize it is cold and miserable in NY nearly 6 months out of the year???!!)...and NONE have play areas or fun stores like Nordies, Gymboree, and Gap. (I'm not even asking for William Sonoma or Crate & Barrell...just the basics!!!) I really shouldn't complain. Our last hometown didn't even have a Target. But really there's almost no point at all of having a mall if all it offers is Old Navy and Bon Ton, whatever that is. Oh, I almost forgot the one restaurant in it- some icky burger joint that has a menu like Denny's. What's the deal? Where's PF Changs and Cheesecake Factory, California Pizza Kitchen....or even a dang Cinnabon??!! Obviously, the crazy pregnant lady obsessed with food is on the rage now, so I'll bid you all adieu and wander off to bed...

Free Photobook, compliments of Oprah

My girlfriend told me about a special offer from Oprah. She's recently done a show about decluttering, and to help inspire her listeners to get organized she has a free 8x11 photobook offer on her website. You must sign up for this by today, Friday November 14 and complete the photobook by this Sunday (how's that for motivation?) Follow the link below and scroll down to the "Get your free book" link. Happy Friday!!
http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/oprahshow/20081029_tows_messyhouse/7

Seriously laggging

It's been at least a week since I've had the energy to post. Why?! The first two times around during this pregnancy thing, life was a breeze! I was totally on top of things! And now, my fridge begs me to give it a thorough cleaning every time I open the door...I've completely neglected dusting the extra bedroom for almost a month...and there are nearly a zillion emails in my yahoo inbox. Ug.

I'll just take this time to spew. First, I had an ultrasound appointment booked for last Friday...THE appointment we were hoping would enlighten us as to the gender of baby #3. However, the medical office called to reschedule, as my midwife was assisting in a C-section. (Okay, I can't blame her...but the suspense was killing me!) Luckily, we were rescheduled for the following Monday. Or so I thought. We arrived Monday, only to be told that there had NOT been an ultrasound appointment scheduled, only the 16-20 week check up. WHAT??!! Hmph. I begged to wait for a window in her schedule, and we were able to get in 45 minutes later. However, I suspect the ultrasound tech was not too happy with her "bonus patient" because she made no attempt to get the little baked potato (I know, weird...but apparently, that's his or her current size at 18 weeks) to move into position. She said simply, "sorry, we won't be able to tell in the baby's position because the legs are crossed." Why I didn't say something, or offer to move around or drink some hot sauce or something is beyond me. I'm usually quite the high maintenance patient (make that high maintenance across the board.) But I was trying to be nice, since she had squeezed us in, and just politely hinted at our hopes....without any luck.

So, tomorrow, I'm driving over an hour away and shelling out the big bucks to find out who's inside.

Gourmet night

Today was just horrible outside...cold. Windy. Rainy. Cloudy. God was flashing a big neon sign to me, "stay inside today." So, I did. And I actually got through the Mt. Everest pile of laundry, cleaned most of the house, AND tackled a new feat: preparing scallops!!!

I absolutely love scallops in restaurants, but for some reason I've always been intimidated to make them at home. They are just so delicate, and if you overcook them or get ones that have the pieces of sand (or whatever that crunchy stuff is) it ruins the whole experience. But I was quite victorious, they came out wonderfully (maybe a bit salty) and even looked pretty! Here's (basically) the recipe:

Balsamic Scallops and Spinach Pasta
1 lb bay scallops, rinsed and patted dry
2 T flour
1 tsp cajun seasoning
1 T EVOO
1 cup chopped spinach
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 cups pasta, prepared
1/4 cup crumbled bacon

Combine flour and seasoning in large plastic bag. Add scallops and shake to coat. Heat saute pan to medium and add EVOO. Cook scallops 6 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove from heat. Add spinach to the pan and add 2T water. Cover for 2 minutes. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, stirring. Return scallops to pan and gently combine. Add bacon.
To serve, top pasta with scallops and spinach.

PS. Tomorrow it's supposed to SNOW. What's the deal with that? It's only October! Cute Halloween costumes doomed.

Poor Me

Today I had minor foot surgery, and I am embarrassed to report that I am sulking a bit. I was told by the doctor that I wouldn't be able to exercise all week- even swim! Normally, I wouldn't be in distress but you see this Saturday is PR's Marine Corps Ball. It's a big fancy hoopla that requires a fancy dress, fancy hair, and FANCY shoes. Have you seen many attractive shoes that accommodate a large foot bandage? How am I going to pull this off??! The shoes are not my only concern. I had decided that if I was going to look a little lumpy in the ab area, I'd at least have some smokin' hot and clearly defined arms and back muscles. This meant that I'd have to do some serious working out and swimming every day this week (as I don't actually have any definition at the moment.) But I was told I can't swim, and that is by far the easiest way to get some burly triceps in lightning speed. Grr. I supposed I'll just have to sit and lift. Hmph.

On to my next Marine Corp Ball dilemma: as my belly bump has gotten a little larger, I decided last night to try on my closet full of dresses. I was seriously disappointed to discover that the dress I purchased less than three weeks ago (which, BTW, FIT three weeks ago) no longer zips. And three other dresses that I was SURE would fit this mama bump have let me down, too.
I figured out the problem: I'm carrying this little one very high...so all those high waist dresses that "flow" (and would nicely accommodate a baby bump) are not high waisted enough. And the worst part is, the baby belly doesn't really look like a baby yet, especially in these dresses. It just looks like a lazy belly with absolutely no muscle tone and I look like I have horrible posture. Do I affix a sign so the 1,000 plus people (996 of which I don't know) realize I haven't accidentally chosen a dress that accentuates my worst feature? (Okay, so I'm not exactly Miss Trendy at the moment....but I used to be pretty good at shopping and I'd say my dresses are pretty darn hot.) Ug.

The only bonus about this foot thing is that PR made dinner tonight AND did the dishes AND put the kids to bed. Woo hoo!!!! I guess I'll take it. : )

Brrrrrr

Today was the first day that a jacket was absolutely necessary. I couldn't believe it! It's only October, and it's 40 degrees! I think it was so hard to endure because I spoke with a girlfriend in L.A. who said it was 95 there. I guess that gives us both something to complain about.


I'm happy to report I was motivated to clean for the first time in 10 weeks. It's like magic once you hit your second trimester! I feel my OCD returning, in a good way. (Do you know I did 5 loads of laundry yesterday? Ridiculous!) The past few weeks, all I could do was keep things tidy. I avoided all major cleaning tasks- my fridge, my oven, the garage...but today Caroline slept in and I had an hour to kill before personal training. I felt like supermom! (Maybe Owen's "superhero" party this weekend inspired me?)

Because of the weather, I decided it was necessary to make some homemade bread and soup. I resorted to my favorite soda bread recipe. (It's the best because you don't have to let it rise, so you can start it at 4 and it'll be ready in time for dinner.) Isn't bread the BEST smell from your oven? Mmmmm. (Recipe follows.)


NE who, I feel so good about my accomplishments that tonight I"m turning in early with a new book! Woo hoo!

Soda Bread
2c Whole wheat flour, sifted
2c Bread flour
2 T superfine sugar
2t salt
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 egg (or egg product), beaten
1 3/4 cup low fat or nonfat plain yogurt (you can use vanilla yogurt, just omit the sugar listed)

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Beat yogurt and egg in a separate bowl and add to dry mixture. Turn onto floured surface and knead until no longer sticky. Shape into a large round, and place on a baking sheet. Using a serrated knife, make an "X" approximately 1 inch deep. Place in preheated 375 degree oven for 40 minutes, or until brown on top. Serve with herb butter.

Garlic Basil Herb Butter (Soooo scrummy!)
1/2 cup salted butter, softened
1-2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced (depending on how garlicky you like it)
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, minced

Combine ingredients and shape into a ball. Refrigerate at least 2 hrs before serving.