...Oh My!

Happy Halloween!

We did our big family dress-up last week at the Gelber's Halloween party. We're juggling a lot this weekend, so we won't be in full costume to accompany our little lion when we he goes trick-or-treating. (Also, um, I lost my ears. Not sure how.) Not that we won't be taking more photos! Oh, no! That would defeat the purpose of Halloween!

But here are a few more of us Lions, Tigers, and Bears.



Brad and I have tails, too, but they were camera shy.

STALKER!

Seriously, if you have a blog and you don't use Google Analytics, drop everything and...um...Google it.

Here's the cool stuff I learned today: I can actually tell which states AND WHICH CITIES in those states have read this blog. And for how long. And how many posts. So if I want to see which of my long distance friends across the globe are LYING about having read (I'm looking at you, Colorado!), I can. Cool, huh?

Illinois is in first place (Chicago, Glenview and Glen Ellyn are top readers); followed by Michigan (Livonia and "Washtenaw County") and Arizona (mostly Scottsdale, though a surprising number in Tempe, too). And Florida is only beating out Georgia by one visit!

I only mention this because those of you who live in those places might find it interesting. Or not. I don't really care, because I think it's the coolest thing I've learned all month. Which basically means that I need to go back to school.

But hey, what I really want to know is, who is reading in Wisconsin, Texas, and New Hampshire? Because I can't think of who it would be, and I'm kind of a sucker for anonymous readers--that is, people who read that aren't related to me by blood or friendship.

SQUEE! Our readership is growing! (I'm such a Nerd. Ooh! Foreshadowing....[rubs hands together with anticipation of new post])

Pumpkin with Purpose, Part II

Aren't these pretty? Aren't I a gifted photographer? Yeah...I stole this pic (and recipe) from Design Mom. But it's okay, because she stole it from someone else.

Of course, I used the leftover pumpkin from last night's carving project. (Ahem...riiiiight.)



Old-Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies
(verybestbaking.com)

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick) softened
1 cup 100% pumpkin (you can find cans of this in the pie-filling section of the grocery store)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Glaze (see below)
Optional: 1/2 cup chocolate chips or nuts.

Preheat oven to 350. Grease baking sheets.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and set aside. Beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle glaze over cookies.

For Glaze:
Combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 tsp vanilla in small bowl until smooth.

Edit: These cookies are more "formed" than, say, a chocolate chip cookie. So, basically, whatever shape it's in when you drop it onto the cookie sheet is the shape it will be when you take it out. I flattened mine a little the second time around so the glaze wouldn't slide off. Also, waiting to see if said glaze will harden. Otherwise I'm not sure how I'll be storing these. But they're yummy!

Word List

Just for my own amusement.

10/30/09:

up
truck
balloon
what's that?
cracker
this
Dada
bye bye
hi
ball
fire truck
choo choo
fish
yuck
Ollie
ouch

Pumpkin with Purpose

Jack O' Lantern 2009:



Alas, this is not the form he will take on Halloween. As we will not be home to hand out the treats this year, he will be displayed on the stoop thusly:



Of course, since I'm not suffering any delusions that Trick or Treaters will actually "Take Just One," as the sign on the door will request, he will be filled with lamer offerings--not the delicious chocolate perfection you see in the photo.


Edit: I should probably give credit where credit is due.

"Do I Have To?" (aka: Teaser)

Actual transcript of today's conversation with my (almost) 14-month old:


"Mommy, do I have to be a lion for Halloween?"

"Yes, dear, you do."

"But why, Mommy?"

"Because I found your costume on sale at Old Navy...and I thought it was cute."

"But it's really hot and the velcro itches my face."

"Well, I guess you'll just have to suck it up, won't you."

"But WHY, Mommy?"

"Because adults really like Halloween, sweetie."

"But WHY, MOMMY?"

"Because it gives them the opportunity to dress their kids up like fools and take lots of pictures."

"Oh. Mommy? Does that mean that every day is Halloween?"

"Be quiet and eat your peas."

*Cricket* *Cricket*

It's quiet around here in blogworld. Or, my blogworld, anyway. Too busy knitting for LoveScarf....

My silly little "Thick and Quick Keyhole Scarf" had a really strange flaw in the pattern. As in, when "finished," it appeared large enough to fit around the neck of a doll. So it's taken on a new life, and therefore, much longer time commitment--which is as it should be, anyway. It is knitted with love, to be sure.

Think about contributing, if you're a knitter.


In the meantime:
k3 sl1 k3 sl1 k3 sl1 k3
k1 sl1 k3 sl1 k3 sl1 k3 sl1 k1
:o)

Meanderings

Edit (10/22/09): This is a very difficult post to publish. It was easy to write, but it's much tougher to share. Just so you know.


Composed on 10/8/09:
A friend and frequent blog-reader commented thusly the other day (paraphrase): "I do read your blog frequently, so I know what's going on with you--or at least with The Munchkin." Huh.

It got me thinking a thought I've thunk before, that I used to write the occasional opinionated entry that was actually about me on this blog, but it's turned into a full-fledged virtual baby book. Not that there's anything wrong with that. In general, I'm pretty sure the bulk of my regulars would rather read about the boy's latest accomplishments, but it still doesn't quell the need to vent and/or rant and/or whine. Unfortunately for me, since this is not an anonymous blog, I rarely do that. I fear offending people, for the most part. My innermost thoughts might not be what you would expect, and I don't want to scare anyone off.

But. Sometimes a girl needs to talk about the fact that her child morphed into another human in the last two months. And most of the time it's wonderful, and glorious, and I can't believe he can do things like imitate the sound a cow makes after talking about it for less than one day. And that he climbs stairs up AND down, and has therefore also figured out that if he's sitting on a chair or couch, all he has to do is turn his little self around and climb down. But other times, I take him to music class and he is a demon in sweat pants. You know how you can't really tell that people have lost weight unless you don't see them for a length of time? Well, that's sorta how I felt about my child's personality when we attended last week's music class, after having not attended for two months. Even his music teacher commented that he was "such a different boy!"...and totally not in a bad or condescending way at all. (I love her, don't forget.) But MAN, has he changed in that class! Now he throws a hissy fit if he can't sit on the giant drum, can't look out the window for the entire class to watch for "Choo choos," has to give back the purple maraca, can't bang on the piano keys, is put down when he wants to be up and is up when he wants to be down. He tries to hit other kids and me, though this was much improved today since last week. And none of this is really a big deal, in the grand scheme of things. It's certainly not a life or death situation.

And. Sometimes a girl needs to talk about the fact that the stupid Other Stuff is still not resolved--and it's real estate related, people, get your minds out of the graveyard and/or my uterus. ;o) But the fact that I still CAN'T TALK ABOUT IT ON HERE IS DRIVING ME NUTS. I want to SHARE things with you, Internet! Again, it's not a huge deal, and most definitely not a life or death situation.

But. Cancer IS a life and death situation, and sometimes a girl needs to talk about how much cancer sucks. And the fact that her friend has it sucks even more. And the fact that this friend is...not doing well...sucks even worse. And the fact that this friend has no husband to take care of her sucks. And that the bulk of her care is falling to her friends--well, that doesn't suck, but it's still really, really hard to handle. It makes me sad, and angry, and unmotivated (the exact opposite effect I would have expected), and my gut instinct is to disconnect from those I'm closest to, because even though it may help to talk about it...I kinda don't want to talk about it. Correction: I don't want to have a conversation about it, which is different.

So if you're reading this and you wonder why I haven't called, or emailed, or blogged about myself, this is why. My Friend Who Has Cancer is the huge, smelly, noisy elephant in the room, distracting me from the rest of my thoughts and tasks. And I don't want to talk about it.

Yet.

Good Eats?

Everyone I know who has/has had a toddler has experienced the "Toddler Food Crisis," but I haven't heard any practical solutions, really. The problem in a nutshell? If he starts rejecting grapes (as he has rejected many other favorite foods (turkey lunchmeat, veggie burgers, cheese, etc.)), he will literally be eating nothing.

I have tried to limit his foods so he's forced to eat what is put before him on his tray, but he just throws it on the floor and remains hungry.

Help.

Doh! Someone Gave Him Playdoh!

Please enjoy The Munchkin's first experience with Playdoh.



Say what you will, but at least he thinks out of the box. Oh, and he has LITERALLY been doing this all day. I've hardly seen him. And evidently, this activity requires too much concentration for talking.

Did You Know...

...that when you freeze leftover soup, there is a major space-saving option?

Instead of putting it in bulky tupperwear, freeze it lying down in a freezer bag. After the first night, you can stand it up in your freezer to make space!




You knew that already? Just checking....

A Good Day

Today was a good day. No, it was a great day. The Munchkin and I just had a really, truly wonderful time together today. One minor meltdown in music that can be overlooked is par for the course, at this juncture.

Once again, I notice that I spend too much time trying to multi-task at the computer/sink/washer while he is on the floor playing with toys. Or I am so daunted at the idea of four hours to fill before bedtime that we run needless errands that frustrate us both. So today, after music, we came home and just played.

What's funny is that we actually played together. Like, he would bring me Legos and we would take turns building them (me) and tearing them down (him). He would give me the hard instruments to play (kazoo, harmonica), while he played the sticks and jingle bells. We looked a dozens of pictures in books today. Ooh! Funny story. So, he opened a book to a page with cartoon balloons on them, and said his usual, "Whsssat?" "Balloons." (Repeat times 20.) Then, after a while, he pointed to the balloons and said, "Baa-mmm." Two distinct syllables. Naturally, I thought, hey! he knows a sort of word for balloon! Well, for the rest of the afternoon, he pointed to everything and said, "Baa-mmm," so I guess we can strike that.

Anyway. We played with trains, and balls, and listened to music, and danced, and made up dialogue for his stuffed animals (me) and threw them around the room (him). At one point, I was laying on the floor in his room and put my head down on my arms. A few moments later, he snuggled right up against me with his head on my back and said, "Ahhh," in that toddler sing-songy voice.

AND...he ate three servings of green vegetables that were not disguised by butter and/or cheese.

It was good day.



(Add to the Things He Can (Sort of) Say list: "All gone.")

"Hey! It's Kathy Lee Gifford!" *

(* If you don't get the joke, too bad for you, and you might as well just skip this whole post.)


Kathy Griffin came to town on her book tour, and I went--with some fabulous friends--to meet her and get a signed copy.

Here she is making her infamous "Suck It" face, by request. And I'm supposed to be making it, too, except I was all nervous and stuff, so now in my one and only photo with Kathy Griffin, I look like I'm sucking a lemon through a straw. At least it's more interesting than the cliche "pose and smile" photo:


Tom:


Holy High Heels, Batman!


Just missed another....er....infamous pose:


I was 15th in line. Which is why you can actually read her signature:


Ooh! So! There was a completely crazy/crazed fan who was first in line. We'll call her "Pink Lady." While we were waiting, she was going on and on (to the Border's staff, who also thought she was nuts) about the fact that they had put the signing table up on a tall stage, so when they took her picture you wouldn't be able to see her (Pink Lady) because she's so short, and maybe Kathy would show up "in a mood" and demand to have the stage removed, or "maybe Tom and Tiffany would be, like, ix-nay on the age-stay." She also announced to the group that this was the "biggest day of her life," and I wondered what her husband would have thought of that, were he there to hear it. (Wedding band. I notice these things.) Anyway, she was worth the price of admission, so to speak.

Oh, and someone brought a box of wine for Kathy's mom. Awesome.

LOL.

Evidently, we can now add another word to our ever-growing list of Words that End with "K."

Oliver has an affinity for tearing apart babies. Um, what I mean is, we buy him stuffed dog toys (at a zillion dollars a pop) and he tears them apart--literally limb from limb. Yesterday he spent a good majority of the morning walking around with a moose leg between his teeth.

Anyway, the fluff from these "babies" ends up strewn ALL OVER THE $%&# HOUSE. Well, The Munch, in his quest to conquer the length of the living room in two seconds flat, gathered a mound of fluff on his jammies in the process. Recalling that my dear, sweet child has a few tactile issues (remember the cotton candy?), you will not be surprised to learn that he was less than impressed with his new accessory. He plucked it gingerly from his jammies, using only his pincer grasp, tossed it delicately on the floor and said, "Yuck." *

Here, here, buddy. Mommy feels your pain. Now where is the $%&# dustbuster?




* (Alright, alright, he actually said, "Uck," but the meaning was definitely "Yuck.")

Words that End with "K"

That's the name of the game, today. The little man gets a little obsessive about certain things, and today's thing is the K sound.

Milk
Truck
Walk
Talk
Duck
Quack
Dack? (Not a word, but it's what he said today instead of his usual, "Dat?")

He opened a book about farms, turned to the page with a photo of the dairy truck, pointed to it and CLEAR AS DAY said, "Truck?" This was after we watched the garbage truck munch a mattress and box springs in its muncher. Way cool. "Truck?"

While we're playing the Tricks My Kid Can Do game, I should also mention that he says, "Choo choo!" every time he sees OR JUST HEARS a train. He can also identify lots of different types of trains (Thomas the Tank, his wooden train, his plastic ride-on train, the Metra train) as trains, which seems impressive to me--transfer of learning, and all that. He will now hold out his arms in anticipation of catching a ball (thank you, Mimi); he is an adept Climber of Stairs; he can tell you what the elephant, monkey, Oliver and train "say;" he can point to his ear, nose and toes. We're planning to send him to college next week.

Week. Add that to the list.

Singer Island, FL

Okay, you crazy kids, I'm trying my darndest to get caught up here, but I'm feeling a little blocked and less creative than normal. Hence the title. Oh, also, I'm trying to multi-task by blogging and watching DVRed episodes of last week's premieres. So, um, apologies if my writing is accidentally interrupted by an order for a head CT and IV push or commentary about how surprisingly well spoken I find Heidi Montag.

(Side note: I LOVE television. (It's a problem.) And I LOVE premiere season because it's got that "back to school" feeling of reunion, after having been away from all your friends for the summer. So, Meredith, Addison, Jeff Probst, Barney, Cat, Jim and Pam...welcome back. Missed ya.)

Ahem.

Our vacation was incredibly wonderful. I hesitate to mention this, given my readership, but Florida isn't my favorite state. Humidity and I (okay, my hair) don't exactly get along. But! When you are a Starwood Preferred Member, you go where you can redeem points. They upgraded us to a ridiculous 2-bedroom suite, complete with granite/stainless kitchen, washer/dryer, two bathrooms with fancy showers and tub, living room and a balcony. Seriously, I could have invited my cousin, her husband, and her three (almost four) kids, and we would have had plenty of room.

We kept our activities to a minimum, but did venture outside The Resort at Singer Island for a day of scootering. Yyyyeah. It's been a long time since I thought, "You know, this is actually really dangerous and I might die." I had that thought more than once that day. In fact, I kept thinking of The Munchkin, and that dangerous activities should really be outlawed for parents. Turned out, though, I was my own biggest hazard. The practice rounds in the parking lot were actually a lot harder than out on the open road. Once my confidence was restored (about 20 minutes after leaving the lot), I felt much better.

During that adventure, we "shopped" on Worth Avenue (think Rodeo Drive). Picture us parking our little rent-a-scooters next to BMWs and Porsches, and heading into these fancy-schmancy shops dressed in our shorts and sandals. I felt pretty uncomfortably out of place. (Side note: What's with the plethora white pants in the middle of September? Does the "Don't Wear White after Labor Day" rule not apply to Floridians? Just wondering. I mean, it was 90 degrees there, but still--EVERY WOMAN I saw on that street was in white pants!)

We also made it into the town of West Palm for an evening of Mexican food and street music, and a random stop for gelato. But beyond that, we baked in the sun, swam, rode the waterslide in the pool, and relaxed. We both made it through two books and several magazines, which definitely is a rarity in our lives, these days. And, if I may say so, the best part of the week was that we fell a little more in love. Okay, a lot. Vacations without kids are good for marriages. :o)

Meanwhile, in MI, the Munch (and Oliver) was hangin' with his Mimi, Papa, and Auntie Omi, having a grand old time! Evidently I should give up hope for him becoming a world-renowned musician, since he'll be too busy with his Olympic swimming career. Muchas gracias (again) to the three of you for taking such good care of our babies.


Glad to be back. Much to do. Off to do it.
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