Update

It's been forever...I'm not sure I'm cut out for this blogging thing, it's too time consuming. I should actually be dealing with a pile of paperwork right now, but really, it's been over three months since I've posted.

What's new...

Mom got a clean bill of health today. What a relief! 11 months as a cancer patient, with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, but now she's done! To celebrate she's coming up here for a few days, we're excited about that.

Caroline is getting lots of teeth, three since Friday. I find this exciting, not sure why, but each new tooth feels like magical discovery. It also explains the crankiness that preceds it. 

We've enjoyed the snow, did lots of sledding. I'll have to post some photos in due course. Hope to get away to VT for some skiing before the season ends too.

About to embark on some renovations which is exciting but scary. Kitchen replaced, and other walls coming down. I think we'll vacate for the demo phase, I can't stand to be here for that with Caroline and Moxie. But we'll just wait and see. 

That's about it for now. I'll try to update more frequently.

Photos from Thanksgiving

Tooth woes

Another rite of passage...a root canal. Had my first one today. These are things my parents have done. But now I too have entered the realm of multiple dental appointments and thousands of dollars spent on preserving those pearly whites. The brochure the dentist gave me said teeth are meant to last a lifetime. If that's the case, then why do they all start rotting away and needing so much work to save them? I think teeth were designed back when our lifetime was much shorter. Oh well, once my tooth is finished being reconstructed, it's just about guaranteed to last the rest of my lifetime, lucky me! Thing is, my mouth hurts more right now than it did before he started poking and prodding. Good thing we're going to a wine tasting tonight, hopefully that'll help numb the pain.

On a more exciting mommy note, Caroline just went down for her nap without screaming for close to an hour. In fact, she fussed for less than 5 minutes and remained horizontal while doing so. This is HUGE! Now that it's getting cold out I can' t leave her to freeze in the car for naps, so I knew I'd have to conquer this, and seems we've almost done it. This will be a great help to me and anyone who watches her. I figure I now have an hour and a half to myself, wow! Huge! I guess I'll work on the holiday card and maybe order some Christmas presents. I could work on my resume, but I think that will wait until a day when I have less tooth pain. Okay, so now I'm nervous because Caroline went down so easily that I want to go check on her...she's fine, chest is rising and falling nicely. Neurotic? slightly perhaps but I know lots of us mommies do this, daddies too....

Going to go do some work of some sort.

I've posted some fall photos of Caroline since I've finally discovered how to do this. Enjoy...

What does the cow say?

Today, Caroline responded to this question for the first time! It was such an exciting moment. Jamie and I were shopping in Babystyle, a trendy baby clothing and toy store in the Westchester mall. There was a large cuddly cow that I showed to Caroline, and then, like a programmed robot, I said, "and what does the cow say...moo" I always answer because until now, she hasn't. Then she looked up, not at either of us, but just up from whatever she was doing, and said "mmmmm" which sure seemed like her version of moo. I looked across the store to Jamie who looked back at me and we nodded, it was her version of moo! How exciting! The store was too crowded for us to really get excited, but once we were out on the veranda, we asked her again, and again she said "mmm..." It just warmed my heart. I have had to refrain from asking her repeatedly for the rest of the day, but we have practiced several times since the Mall.... I guess there's something about The Westchester Mall for us, it is where I discovered Caroline's first tooth as well. Perhaps her first sentance will be formed there too, no doubt something like, "I want that!"

We had a great weekend, just being a family, doing things together without any stress. Yesterday we spent a long time browsing the aisles at Wild Oats in Norwalk, getting all sorts of yummy organic food for all of us. And we met Michelle, our new babysitter, who will watch Caroline on the occasional Friday or Saturday night that we go out. Today was the Westchester where Jamie and I each managed to find some new shoes, and we got Caroline a Thanksgiving dress and a few holiday gifts. It was probably the longest Jamie and I have spent inside a mall shopping, ever. We're not really shoppers. I wish I were, there are so many nice clothes, and shoes, and lotions and potions but I just never have the energy to look through it all, not before Caroline or after. But it's fun to look.

Hard to believe Thanksgiving is in a few days. I'm grateful to have a year off from hosting it. It's allowing me the energy to focus on Christmas. Although we haven't done much, but at least I'm thinking about it. This year we will head to Rhinebeck NY to stay at an Inn and dine at my father's first cousin's home with her family. My first cousins will be there too, so it'll be a fun chance to connect with lots of family, and provide a mini-vacation too.

One of these days I'll figure out how to post photos of Caroline, but honestly I dont' have any new ones to post. This is one of my holiday weekend goals. we'll see...

Dinner is almost ready, so I should sign off for now....

Oh, what a beautiful morning...

Caroline slept until 645AM! And I went to bed long before midnight! (I actually fell asleep while watching Ocean's 13 with Jamie). Nothing like a solid nights sleep to start your Saturday off right. Of course, since Caroline slept well, Moxie decided she'd wake us in the night for a peepee outing. Luckily I remained groggy enough to go right back to sleep and Jamie let her out.

Yesterday Caroline and I had a quite day mostly at home, getting things done. We'd had a very social week which is always lots of fun but meant I didn't have a chance to tend to paperwork and phoning. We had the carpets on our stairs cleaned which is always such a good feeling, but it meant I was sequestered to the main floor of the house (an excuse not to do laundry!). But there was plenty to do downstairs, which included a 20 min nap while Caroline was asleep in the car. I had attempted to go meet some mommies at the mall, but as soon as I got over the bridge and on to 95, Caroline was out. so home we came.

I am back in to cooking which is lots of fun. Yesterday I decided I'd make some carrot ginger soup. (I have a 10lb bag of organic carrots I purchased at Costco a few weeks ago). It was so easy! I threw everything in the crock pot and let it cook for several hours. And then this morning I just blended it all and voila! I have two quarts of yummy soup, or at least I hope it's yummy. I tend to stray from the recipe a little, blending two or adding a little of this or that. So we'll see. I stayed on course for the most part, I just added one small potato to thicken the soup a little and make it a bit more substantial since carrots and onions by themselves are not a very filling meal.

Now it is 745AM, and Jamie will soon be done with his therapeutic massage in Westport. I discovered this wonderful Thai man named Samsok (actually Angela told us about him). I sent Jamie once as a birthday present and now he's hooked. Anyway, I don't mind because he'll stop and get me a yummy latte from Starbucks on the way home...I can't wait! Later today we're meeting a new babysitter for weekend nights, which is SO EXCITING! and then perhaps some holiday shopping. I think tonight I might make some chili, since I'm on this kick now. We'll see...

time to go change a morning diaper...not so fun, but easier to do on a full nights sleep : )

Well, it's been awhile, and I don't know if I really have anything of much interest to write about. Minor successes for me and our family and motherhood...

I found a new pediatrician for Caroline whom I really like. I guess "the third times a charm", as they say. She's a young mother herself and her entire practice prides itself on "taking time to listen and getting to know the patient". I found this to be true in my "Meet the Doc" appointment yesterday. She answered all my questions about the vaccines and helped me feel better about the choices I'm making. Perhaps my resistance to the shots has been an unconcious knowledge that the vaccines with egg derivitive in them might be troublesome for Caroline, who knows? Either way, she's happy to help me sort it out, without being too extreme in either direction. I left feeling heard and supported and comfortable calling with any questions I might have.

Today I made dinner. Yes, you read correctly, I cooked. This is a big deal because as of late (since Caroline's birth) I have not really been cooking. So tonight we had chicken curry. Chicken no less, that I actually cut raw and then had to wash and scrub every fingernail, utensil, countertop and cutting board to make sure no GERMS were left. So far we're all okay, so I guess that's a good sign. The meal was edible, but not fabulous, but I guess we all must start somewhere. It was certainly probably healthier than take out from the Thai restaurant. But I fixed that with a hearty portion of chocolate after dinner. I don't know if I could ever kick that habit.

Caroline is finally asleep after much protest. Nursing won out as the means for falling asleep. I am hoping that soon we can be done with this but I don't want to cut her off before she's quite ready. Who knows, one more thing to figure out.

I guess I'll sign off now as the hours are quickly passing and I'd like to do some reading before bed. Not so sure this blogging thing is for me. At least not with any consistency. But thanks for reading...

Sarah

Just a quick note as I'm dizzy in my chair from fatigue. But it's been a week since I've written, perhaps longer, I don't even know. We've had two day trips to Long Island to visit my grandmother, colds to contend with and Mom is visiting. Just a ton going on, as usual.

Caroline is doing great. Seems to be having a growth spurt and I can't keep up with what to feed her. Her little friend Ryan is eating home made parmasen chicken fingers (Jen, you're an A+ Mommy!) while Caroline is living off yogurt and snacks. This isn't completely from lack of trying. She was offered wild fish today and zucchini but prefered her cereal bar. Tonight she did gobble up some veggies and then enjoyed a bit of pizza. Whatever, tomorrow is another day.

Anyway, I have no energy right now, I must go to bed. There is no creative juice left to write. But I wanted to post something so I don't seem like I've given up this blogging thing before I've even really begun.

peace out, yo!