I love Halloween!

What's not to love? Candy. Check. Costumes. Check. Making fun of overgrown children demeaning themselves for candy. Hilarious. While last year the only costume I could summon was a Shadow of My Former Self (read: it was a good thing I showered AND put on non lounge wear attire), this year I got into the spirit of the holiday and donned a vintage psychedelic 60's number, courtesy of my high school love of thrift stores. Mizz and I were hot stuff in our respective costumes and cruised the children's consignment shops after playgroup at another cool and kid friendly coffeshop.

So check this out. This is an example of our society going overboard to protect our children. From what? Children getting exercise, having fun, and yes, learning that not everyone can be the best at everything. I loved tag when I was a kid and plan on chasing Mizz with the best tag players around. Granted, I am getting tons of practice early on, so I might have a slight advantage.

6000 years of Jewish Cooking Can't Be Wrong

And to prove my point Mizz broke a four day hunger strike by eating a large helping of Matzo Brei.

On other news fronts, me and the Mizz contended with our first car related break down (I've had many). A very kind samaritan left a note on my windshield informing me that my right tire was flat. It really was a great gesture because I am sure I would not have noticed it and either would have destroyed the wheel or careened off the Morrison Bridge. In any case, Daddy Dearest came to our rescue while I played the part of Damsel in Distress to the fullest. Actually, I was more the harried, I want to get home and not sit in traffic for 40 minutes while my son screams mom but the Damsel seems more kind if not very 1950's. I really should learn how to change a dang tire.

As for today, I am trying to decide whether we should attempt another Pumpkin Patch outing or hit the zoo again.

He Melteth My Heart

Tonight after Mizz went to bed, I discovered the joy of cooking. Wine! I had forgotten how pleasurable it can be to prepare a meal while enjoying a glass a of wine. As added bonuses, Dave and I got to reconnect while cooking and we enjoyed some yummy fajitas. Unfortunately, we got jolted out of our revelry when Mizz started screaming. This is the third night in a row he has woken up about an hour after going to bed. At the risk of crying wolf, our best guess is teething. So tomorrow night he is gonna get a dose of Motrin before hitting the sack. Of course he could just be sorting out his place in the world too. It seeems like it would be really hard to be a toddler. He clearly has ideas about what he wants and but isn't always able to execute them. Check out the following pics to see what I mean.







Mizz is getting more and more adept at Legos and has fun moving pieces and construction sites around the room. However, the details, like watching where he is going, sometimes fall by the wayside. Fortunately he bounces back quite quickly.

This is mainly for Alma

I am wearing the ultimate skinny black pants today--leggings. No I have not gone insane or forgotten the year. I have simply embraced a really darn practical idea that just happens to be trendy. I really should take a picture of my outfit because it is that cute. Black leggings, black jumper with white stitching and a cool zipper and clogs. Leggings are cool because a) they are comfy b) you can wear shorter skirts and not feel bare and c) they are easy to care for and don't run. So while I feel slightly silly wearing leggings as a 30 year old and kinda hate to join any trend, I am on the bandwagon. So in answer to your question, hell yeah, I am a hot mama!

20 minutes

20 minutes should not count as a nap. Mizz thinks it does and that's all he has been willing to consider. Mind you that the 20 minutes was in the car right before playgroup, so Mama hasn't had a break all day. He is in remarkably good shape considering, and with the exception of some fussiness in the post office line (who can blame him?) it has been a fun if tiring day for me. The playgroup was at a uber kid friendly coffeeshop. The only thing that would have made it better would be a pen for Mizz. Much like the mattress store, he had a lot of fun doing laps. Fortunately most of the customers and staff were moms and amused at his antics. He really is a silly babe. I got to catch up with the other moms in bits and pieces when I could entice him with the puzzles and books the shop provided. On the way home we got a lesson in inertia, which I remember questioning as a seventh grader. Mizz's puzzle hit the back of my seat pretty darn hard when I had to slow down rather abruptly. It made me rethink what I want to give him back there. In keeping with my plan to be super mom, we bought an ice cream machine today. My friend Gina has been inspiring with her homemade treats. I figure it will be fun and cool to control what goes into the stuff. When Dave saw it, he wondered how it fit into my "Let's eat less ice cream idea". Good question, I suppose, but way too rational for my taste.

Zoo Report

I had a great time at the zoo today. So did Mizz. He was was so intrigued by the animals he was actually quiet. It was a surreal quiet because at many of the exhibits and halls we were the only ones there. Given my companion I don't hear quiet much these days let alone at a public place. Mizz appeared to be studying the animals really intently and wasn't making his usual gestering noises (Dah! Dah! DAH!). So I got to quietly contemplate an elephant eating grass (it is a really weird, seemingly painfully slow process) and the sea lions frolicked. Because it was so easy, I felt like a great mom. A+

Mizz surprised me and Dave recently by meowing and chirping. He talks to Chloe now fairly reliably. The chirping is in response to a toy bird noise. This only reinforces my tendency to think of him as a little beast. While I won't call him feral, he's not exactly tame. And I kid you not, he is turning two by the minute. He has a new noise, uhhnn, that he didn't use to make. Basically, it is a warning that he is gonna cry unless you stop whatever it is you are trying to do to him. That could be diapering, or pulling trash out of his hand, or putting him back in his car seat. He still is the smiliest baby I have ever seen and is still easily coaxed back to good spirits in no time. I just wish diapering and dressing weren't such a battle.

It really was a great day, the park in the morning, the zoo in the afternoon, and Desperate Housewives during nap.time. For those that care, I highly recommend watching your the show (or others) at ABC's website. You get brief commercials and can watch full episodes in 40 minutes for free. How rad. TV of the future I hope. Forget schedules and paying for it. OK enough for now, I am going to complete my A+ day by making some banana bread.

Free and Cheap Entertainment

We found free if limited entertainment for the Mizz today. While Dave and I tried out new mattresses, Mizz had a field day running up and down the aisle at the mattress store. It was a huge space and he made lots of happy noise as he tore through the aisles. The boy likes to run. I need to take him to a track. To top the adventure off, he received a balloon (It just occurred to me that maybe it was a bribe to slow him down). Of course true to his oral self, he was more interested in eating the string.

Mizz has also been really excited about a recent Value Village score. We got a five dollar Little People Barn set in mint condition. Unfortunately, Dave figured out that it can take batteries and for some reason inserted them. Now we have a barn that baas, chirps, and makes many other fun sounds. But Mizz does like it and it is adorable to watch him put the little animals in and out of the barn.

Tomorrow we are most likely going to make use of the sunny fall weather and head to the zoo. Mizz is a big fan of the ducks and sheep that reside there.

The Food Battle Continues

Mizz apparently has no time to eat. The last two nights he has both yelled at and thrown the dinner I so elaborately microwaved for him (veggie burger last night, fish sticks tonight). While you might suspect it was the cuisine he was rebelling against, I wasn't sure what was going on since he has gobbled up those entrees many times before. Fulfilling my role as a good Jewish mother I employed many shenanigans to prevent him from starvation. While my singing and silly antics weren't enough to sufficiently distract him from the fact that he was restrained, giving him access to a bowl of applesauce kept him happily occupied while I spoon fed him bites of fish sticks. After awhile he apparently remembered that he could feed himself took over the task.

I am afraid that this behavior marks his true entrance into the exciting (and fearsome for me) time of toddlerhood. The other big indicator is that while I am increasingly sure that he know what I am talking about, the Mizz is not always sure that he wants to respond. I can still outsmart him or distract him most of the time, but I feel my days of being totally in control are over. What am I talking about? I haven't been in control since the few wave of nausea at 4 weeks and certainly not since that six pound sweet pea was born.

Rain, rain, go away

Even though I am an East Coast transplant, up until recently I have been a true Portlander; I actually like the rain and even look forward to its arrival. I may joke about my Portland eyes not being able to handle the sunlight, but there is a grain of truth to my silliness. After a long summer, the grayness and mist are both soothing and beautiful to me and I celebrate that it never gets that cold. But, I am rethinking my whole position on the weather now that I have a toddler. Wet strollers, slippery feet, and applying and peeling off extra layers of clothing from my fast and furious child is not necessarily my idea of a good time. Basically, it feels like another layer of work to my already burgeoning load. Wah. I know that I will adjust to this change just like I have in the other areas of my life like shopping (skip it), or taking time to enjoy food (hello protein bars and sandwiches), and exercise (I don't do it unless picking up food off the floor counts). Yes, I continue to be astounded by how much my life has changed since having Mizz. And I know this may have sounded like whining but that's not really my point. All kidding aside, I love taking care of Mizz and with the exception of an extra 10 hours in the day, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Bittersweetness

Geez, I don't even know where to start with this posting. The good news is Mizz is doing much better and mostly back to his hurricane self. The latest skill that we are working on (and that he is challenging me with) is holding hands while walking. Mizz, much like Chloe on a leash, refuses to be tethered and simply squats down and refuses to budge. So for now, it is pretty much stroller or back pain city for mom.

Also Uncle Sam and his girlfriend, Megan, paid us a visit. Mizz had a great time listening to Sam's animal noises and stealing his drinks. Sam and Megan toured the city a little, got to see the rain at pretty much its worst and are still planning on moving here in the spring. I can't wait.

The last bit of news, and the hardest to write about, is that Bruce Lee is now up for adoption with a shelter that guarantees to find him a home. It is really sad to see him go because other than his cat box issues, he is a really great cat. I just hope he finds a loving home. I am sure he will thrive without an agressive cat and zooming toddler lurking behind every corner.

So that's pretty much it for now. I am already looking forward to this weekend with no travel plans, no appointments, hopefully no sickness, and maybe some lazy time. It could happen.

Tending Mizz

No wit today. Mizz has strep and is pretty darn miserable. He is getting round the clock motrin and antibiotics. The poor guy is running a high fever consistently and is doing a lot of whimpering. Many wise people have reassured me that the fever is his body's way of doing its work, but it is still upsetting to witness, especially with my evil tendency to "what if...". The good news is that his daddy is home taking care of him. If anyone is going to get Mizz to crack a smile, it will be Dada.

We're Back!

In more or less one piece. I, unfortunately, picked a horrendous time to come down with strep throat (yes, apparently adults get that too, who knew?!). Max in his unbridled glee to explore his new surroundings and new playmate, obtained one bloody nose, one bruise under his eye, and god knows how many bumps on his forehead. Josh, Alma's husband, appropriately nicknamed him Hurricane Mizz. In keeping with this, my husband and I quickly developed a category rating system to sum up his energy level and to warn others in his path. "He's gone from a level 5 to a level 3 after stroy time". Actually, despite the whirlwind and ailments (and to reassure the grandparents, Mizz's were all par for the course and minor), the trip was wonderful. As Alma mentioned in her blog, it really was great to have "face time" with each other and our families. While phones and the internet are great substitues, nothing compares to being able to experience the person in high definition and unedited. It was also amazing to me to see our children playing together. Z was for an almost 2 year old remarkably empathetic and willing to share her time, toys, and most remarkably, her parents' attention. To top all of that, Oak Park was incredibly beautiful with mild temperatures, clear sky, and leaves starting to turn color. Now, as we readjust back into out Portland lives, I can only pray that Z and her rents (as Alma and I used to say) don't get sick.

We're off!

Well, we're almost off. Tomorrow we set sail for Chicago. I am really excited about the trip because it involves seeing one of my oldest and bestest friends (she's BFF on my link list) and her family. I can't wait to watch Mizz play with her little girl, Z. Although really, I expect it is going to be more the other way around;Mizz will most likely take notice of her and then proceed to sort, bang, screech, and carry on in his usual manner. But who knows, he hasn't had much experience playing with (holy cow!) an almost two year who sounds to be a social butterfly with an amazing grasp of language. Who knows? Maybe he'll start talking to her. Wish us luck on the trip there. I hoping Mizz will be the charming toddler on the plane and not the nightmare story that will be repeated for days on end.

Amendment

In keeping with my tendency to qualify a good 50% of what comes out of my mouth, I feel obligated to state that I do not advocate spying on your friends and family. Enemies maybe. Bosses maybe. But no good usually comes from spying on loved ones or from Bush's current anti terror measures.

On a different subject, the Mizz had his fifteen months check up yesterday! Fortunately, we didn't have to wait the usual extra forty minutes. Also as usual, the whole thing was so rushed, that I left with more questions than before the visit. Argh. I need to do some asking around the mom mob to see if a pediatrician actually exists that actually takes time to address your questions with both feet still in the exam room. Between Mizz screeching and the doc with his hand reaching for the door, I have a hard time formulating follow up questions. Still, it was one of the better office visits. He got two quick shots that were tolerated quite nicely by distracting him with his very own cardboard box! Mizz has been a literal voracious reader as of late and has eaten the corners and spines off of many books. I've also caught him sitting and "reading" books while I "cook" dinner.

I am HTML

My coffee maker has returned and with it my tech support. Sweet. Here is my practice link. Enjoy. Spy on your friends and family; everyone else does. Zecret link

Giving Praise

Mizz claps for himself when sorting blocks, sometimes between each and every one. He claps after we read books. He has clapped after dropping his sippy cup from the highchair (c'mon, what baby can't do that?). Obviously, he has learned this behavior from his really excited and easy to please parents. So I have been wondering if maybe we are taking the whole praise thing to far. The last thing I want is a kid who has to look to the world for constant validation. I have been dwelling on this subject since reading a local child care center's philosophy (Zenana's Philosophy). My guess is, like everything else in life, moderation is probably the smartest approach. Praise when praise is due, keep it appropriate, and make the tasks as fun and rewarding as possible independent of whether it is done well or not.