Goodbye ole' blog

I have moved my blog to a different site! Thanks to all who have read my blog. I will post the link to my new blog sometime in the near future (probably on Facebook).

Rediscovered runner

I woke up this morning around 4 am but couldn’t fall back asleep, so I read in bed for a little. I got up around 6 am for a morning jog and the weather was absolutely perfect. It almost felt like a fall morning. There was a light breeze that tingled my limbs and I could actually breath comfortably. I started out slowly as I normally do and found my feet moving ahead of me for the first time in a very, very long time. I’ve been running (jogging) sporadically for about three weeks now and each time my legs felt like deadweights, only swinging forward with each stride because my arms and pelvic girdle forced it to do so. I also rediscovered a rhythm in my breath, the song of the inner world. I’m running again and though it took a few weeks of my body struggling, my mind-body finally came into sync, like old friends rediscovering their friendship after missing each other for years.

Wooden blocks and reasoning skills

Like most children, Lucas' room is overflowing with toys, and so is our living room! When Lucas was a baby, we had a generous outpouring of plush toys and books from our family and friends (we actually kindly requested books over toys in our baby shower Evite), but now we have a large array of toys. I'd like to think I'm a DIY person, like I located a tree, cut it down, carved a block, sanded it, and bestowed it into the cute palms of my toddler boy. Unfortunately, I just don't have the tools nor time to do this.

But I am in total support of wooden toys and blocks for two reasons: they grow with your baby and they develop reasoning skills (for 13 other benefits see http://www.spielgaben.com/benefits-of-wooden-educational-toys-for-home-education/).

We gave Lucas a wooden train during Christmas just after he turned one. When I was in a second hand store (Kid to Kid), I spotted the train behind the counter and asked the saleswoman what the recommended age range for the toy was. I believe she said around 2 years. This didn't deter me, if I'm going to have my boy attend Stanford's Design Program he must start playing with these right away!

1) They grow with your baby! I have a short video of Lucas playing with the train at 14 months. Lucas had learned that if he toppled the train foundation, he could pull the blocks off the wooden peg. Now at 20 months Lucas is much stronger and has the ability to lift the blocks from the pegs.

David Elkind, author of the Power of Play, wrote: "A set of wooden blocks is a good investment, for example, because children play with them in a variety of ways--babies may use them to discover size differences; tots to construct buildings."

2) They develop reasoning skills! Recently I watched Lucas stack the blocks from the train one by one, organizing them by color: blue on the bottom, then red, then yellow. Using his reasoning skills, he can also organize the blocks in different permutations on the pegs!

Melissa & Doug carry a smaller one, too.

Tapas and ice cream in downtown Durham

Last Saturday night I finally went to downtown Durham with a girlfriend who I haven't seen since November. I arrived at the restaurant, Mateo bar de tapas, by myself a few minutes early and realized that I had not been out in public without my family in such a long time! It definitely felt weird at first, but my friend arrived soon after and for some reason that really comforted me.

I had heard a lot about Mateo bar de tapas and the food definitely did not disappoint! Mateo was featured in the NY Times so of course I had to go! The Queso Frito Y Huevo (farm egg, crispy manchego, charred asparagus, romesco) was my friend's favorite and I have to agree, it is one of the best eggs you'll ever have in your life! After dinner we strolled over to the Parlour ice cream shop, which I had not been to since I was pregnant. We both taste-tested the sweet corn blueberry swirl but opted for salted caramel; I ate mine slowly to savor every bite.

To sum up, a perfect date night with your partner or girl's night out would be driving 20 min from Chapel Hill to Durham to explore the city's flavors. I know what you're saying-- but it's 20 minutes away! Take a deep breath, put on earrings and high-waisted jeans, draw up all the tension you have for a moment, release it, and have a nice night out, girl!

(photo from when I was pregnant!)

On the Lighter Side

Many moms post about time-saving tips for recipes (freezer, crock pot, you name it). Maybe I'll be one of those moms one day, or maybe I won't. While browsing through the freezer section last month, I came across a new series of frozen meals by Lean Cuisine: The Marketplace. I haven't bought a frozen dinner in years, mainly because I never had a great experience with it. I'd rather eat Ramen.

There was nothing memorable about them and those flavors still exist on the shelf today, but the new Marketplace line shows that Lean Cuisine has caught up with the rest of the world and their options are now *more* globally diverse.

The two that I like so far are the Korean-style beef ones. The beef is surprisingly tender and there is enough sauce to cover the rice, and it's under 500 calories (320 to be exact). Others are not as great. If you want to do some research beforehand, the reviews on the company website are helpful.
Now that I've finished eating my Lean Cuisine lunch I better take a walk!

"this whole foods frozen indian tv dinner i just ate is terrible, why did I never learn to cook the cuisine of my ancestors"
There's no Indian option yet, Mindy. You should challenge Lean Cuisine to come up with them!

Toddler travel 101

"I don't know how you do it," a friend said when I finished telling her we just got back from a short "vacation" to see family in NY and NJ. About a week before, an anxious parent on Facebook asked for recommendations on how to travel with a toddler. I'll tell you how we did it with a 20-month old! I'll start with a barebones packing list. You can get any comprehensive packing list if you google it, I'm just adding my two cents here.

Carry-on items to start with:
1) iPad. My friend Cindy supports this, too. Download your child's favorite movie, music, or a doodle app (don't forget to charge it)! More on screen time later.

2) Diapers, etc. One friend suggested that you should carry whatever baby/toddler supplies you need for the road trip or plane ride, but don't pack the whole shebang! If you're off to visit a friend/family member, ask them to buy diapers, etc. and have them ready for you when you arrive (etc: formula, baby wash/lotion); and you can also buy things as needed at your destination.

3) Snacks. Before I became a mom, I once witnessed a scene at the airport where a mother was asking her child which of the three snacks did he want. Three different kinds of snacks? Yes, you need plenty of snacks for your travel, but perhaps give your child only one option at a time so you don't overwhelm your child (or stress yourself out!).

4) Toys. Someone once recommended the "thinking" toys like the ones where you push the blocks into the box. This parent said his child was occupied for hours. We brought Lucas some Mega Bloks pieces as well as his "lovey"="plush toy"=Elmo.

5) Bring an empty sippy cup/water bottle for your child (of course you can get a cup anywhere but it's still nice to have one handy). Remember to hydrate your child and yourself. I heard on NPR recently that most children are dehydrated during the school day. See http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/06/11/413674246/got-water-most-kids-teens-dont-drink-enough.

6) Extra plastic bags (sorry Eco-friendly parents!). Bring them for anything and everything. For upchuck, for poo, for your own clothes if these end up on you! Speaking of which, pack an extra set of clothes in your carry-on for yourself.

How did it go for us?
1) iPad was a lifesaver. We ended up relying on it too much, however, and have vowed to cut off screen time these next few weeks. NY Times actually just published another article on screen time: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/07/13/how-to-cut-childrens-screen-time-say-no-to-yourself-first/?emc=eta1&_r=0

2) Diapers. We had enough diapers, that wasn't the issue. However, our son drinks a ton of milk and we did not have the opportunity to change him as often, so we had a few accidents! If you think your child is in between sizes or imbibes a surfeit of liquid, consider testing the next diaper size up before you travel. We finally did this after our trip was said and done and discovered that yes, all he needed was a size up.

3) Snacks. Never neglect this necessity. When my son started getting fussy, avocado saved the day (and avocado goes down smoothly)! And yes, I will eat my own words! On one occasion, I offered more than one snack at the same time and what happened? Goldfish and Wheat Thins flew everywhere. Thankfully my husband and I did not overreact and we attributed this moment to his being overtired/uncomfortable by the end of the flight. (Quick note on liquids. If you have an infant, you can breastfeed or offer the bottle during the flight's ascension/descent and this will help minimize ear discomfort).

4) Toys. The Mega Bloks worked for a little while (we used the iPad mostly).

5) The sippy and bottle were regularly used during our whole trip. Not all restaurants have kid cups. Or maybe you've forgotten your own water bottle. I took a sip from my son's water bottle at least once, ha!

6) Plastic bags. Used 'em all and got more throughout.

Suggestions for keeping your mommy cool:
1) TAKE BREAKS and BE FLEXIBLE.

2) Vary your schedule between doing new things and doing familiar things. If you're brave to venture into NYC like we did, we did something new and went to Toys R Us during the evening, then the next morning we went to a public park to mimic a 'normal' day. I found that my son was more himself and smiled a ton while playing in the park.

3) I know it's common sense but I'll say it anyway: Communicate with your spouse or partner, especially if you're visiting friends or family. You'll know what I mean when you get there.

4) Remember to enjoy your "vacation." Try not to get caught up in being the Energizer Bunny. If you notice your toddler appreciating water fountains, tree roots, a special dessert item, whatever it is, allow them the time to enjoy it. You don't have to be anywhere but right there in the mindful presence of your family.

5) Try your best to get a good night's rest! You'll always have more patience when you're well-rested.

6) Try to get one date night in! (We were SO exciting and watched the movie Inside Out).

Safe travels!!!

Bye Bye, Baby (just read the post)

I haven't written a reflective piece in so long and I'm not sure how to go about it. Yesterday when I dropped off Lucas at daycare he didn't cry. I put him in his chair at the table for breakfast, gave him a kiss, and slowly walked away. He looked worried but didn't cry. I can't believe he's a big boy now.

I don't know where to begin. Lucas loves Thomas the train, tests our boundaries, and loves pizza like every other kid, but he also has his own individual personality that screams LUCAS. He LOVES dancing. I was watching a ballet documentary two nights ago and he tried to imitate the arms of the dancers! He actually loves broccoli, believe it. He loves bird-watching and already relishes in insect and bug hunting. He's imaginative. He held a pool noodle (we use them as guards on furniture) in his hands and wielded it like a pole vaulter and yelled at the top of his lungs with a smile from ear to ear. And he LOVES his "Dada." He sorts things (much like my mother did when she was taking care of him) and at daycare one day, he removed all the marshmallows from his plate and put them on his friend, Alice's plate. You might think he doesn't like marshmallows and it could very well be true, but I also think he was spending his time sorting. Some of his favorite books are "Goodnight Gorilla," "Toot & Puddle," "Giraffes Can't Dance" and strangely, "The Gruffalo." Before that it was "Little Owl Lost" or "Barnyard Dance." And the one word that melts my heart every day when I pick him up from daycare is "home." When I picked him up the first few times, I said, "Let's go home now." Now he says it every time he sees me when I pick him up, without fail. This morning as I held his right hand and walked him down the hallway, he reached for his father's and said "hand."

I could go on and on and on. I walked through the baby store, Buy Buy Baby, yesterday for the first time in perhaps half a year (after birth you quickly learn the value of ordering online), and one of the first racks I passed had the onesies on them. Lucas doesn't need those anymore, and I don't need to buy baby items anymore. Lucas will turn two before I know it. As we say "bye bye" to our baby, and as we see more glimpses of "terrible" two, I don't want to ever forget these moments of growth, joy, and babyhood.

(photo by his dad from April 2015)