The Big Day

It's going to be all birthday all the time here for a bit.  I've got parties and adventures to share with you, but let's start with the actual day.

I have made it no secret that I did not want to share a birthday with Thatbaby.  But he had other plans.  In a way, my fears were realized, as I spent so much time planning and working on his birthday party that my own birthday seemed a little anticlimactic.

Thatboy did a great job of celebrating us both.   We both woke up with our rooms decorated with balloons.

We did Thatbaby's presents in the morning, and mine at night.  He got an Anywhere Chair, which he promptly crawled into and fell in love.

And his brother got him a little mouse, which he also loved.  Success all around.

Thatboy also made the two of us breakfast.  With fresh squeezed orange juice for me.

And then I was off to work.  Thatboy spent the day at the beach with Thatbaby.


And then I got to pick where we were going for dinner.  Thatmom came to meet us and brought strawberry pie.

And just like that it was over.  Pretty uneventful huh?  Well don't worry, there's more fun birthday recaps to come!

Mommy Mondays: 12 Months

Weight: 23lbs (+14bs 12oz)
Height: 32 inches (+10.5 inches)
Head: 18.4 inches

 

Sleep:  We were mostly down to one wakeup a night, until last week when he developed Hand Foot and Mouth.  Characterized by sores in his mouth which meant he was up every 45 minutes in pain.  Poor kid.  So glad we're done with that.

Eating: Along with the mouth sores came another lack of appetite.  Which is normal.  In fact, Thatbaby's doctor was impressed with his growth/weight given his recent illness.  I think that's because his refusal to eat solids didn't come with a refusal to nurse/drink milk.

Best Moment: He started signing "more" this month.  Which is just the cutest thing ever.

Monthly Wisdom: 12 months/1 year seems like such a milestone.  But it's important to remember that there is no magic switch that goes off at that time.  Thatbaby doesn't know he's one. So all the big changes that happen "at one" are really theoretical.  There are changes, but there are changes every month.  And just like every other change, they all occur at their own time.

Goals for the Upcoming Month:
- Weaning from the pump
- More sleep
- First night away from the boys!



Things Thatbaby is doing:
- signing "more"
- mimicking intonation
- standing unsupported until he realizes he's unsupported
- drawing
- throwing balls

Crave Wednesday: Philly Cheesesteaks

They say you can't go home again.

This weekend I tried to prove them wrong.  It's been way too long since my sorority sisters and I have seen each other.  And we decided to rectify that.

On Saturday, we swarmed - with husbands and kids in tow back to our old stomping grounds.

Well, they had husbands and kids in tow.   I left mine at home, due to Thatbaby being sick.    And they spent the whole weekend together, whereas I went home after tea and conversation, but it was really good to see everyone again.

It seemed as though no one had aged a day since we graduated, and despite the fact we now inhabit very diverse walks of life, we can slip right back into old conversations and groups the way we used to. 

As I walked through the house with RunAudRun, she kept pointing out all the amenities they had that we didn't have.

"But you wouldn't want to do it again, right?" I asked her.  "The homework, the stress?"  She agreed she didn't.  It's easy to get caught up in the nostalgia again.

When I was growing up in Southwestern PA I bemoaned the area like everyone else.  But of course I didn't want to leave.  And now it's painted with a rosy glow of childhood and youth.  Like 9th Street Deli with its phenomenal hoagies.  We don't really have hoagies here in California.  Sure there are sandwich shops, but not hoagies.  Hoagies are a decidedly Pennsylvanian thing. 

I think this is a fairly recognized fact, after all, does any other city have a sandwich associated by name?  The Philly cheesesteak is from the other side of the state from where I grew up, but the concept remains.  It's not just cold meat slapped on limp bread.  It's meat, cooked with sauces and spice, a melty cheese sauce, mushrooms, and onions, on a toasty hoagie roll.  Accept no substitutes.


They say you can't go home again, but sometimes you can.

Philly Cheesesteaks (From Cooking Light)

1 flank steak, trimmed

2 portobello mushroom caps

2 tsp olive oil, divided

1 cup thinly sliced onion

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced green bell pepper

2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp lower-sodium soy sauce

2 tsp flour

1/2 cup milk

2 Tbsp grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1 oz provolone cheese, torn into small pieces

1/4 tsp dry mustard

4 hoagie rolls, toasted

1. Place beef in freezer 15 minutes.  Cut beef across grain into thin slices.  Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper.
2. Remove brown gills from undersides of mushroom caps using a spoon.  Discard gills and remove stems.  Thinly slice mushroom caps; cut slices in half crosswise.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add 1 tsp oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add beef to pan; saute 2 minutes or until beef loses its pink color, stirring constantly.  Remove beef from pan.
4. Add 1 tsp oil to pan.  Add onion; saute 3 minutes.
5. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, and garlic.  Saute 6 minutes.
6. Return beef to pan, saute 1 minute or until thoroughly heated and vegetables are tender.  Remove from heat.
7. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce.  Keep warm.
8. Place flour in a small saucepan.  
9. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Cook 1 minute or until slightly thick. Remove from heat.  
10. Add cheeses and mustard, stirring until smooth.  Keep warm.
11. Hollow out top and bottom halves of bread, leaving a 1/2 inch thick shell; reserve torn bread for another use.
12. Divide beef evenly among bottom halves of hoagies.  
13. Drizzle sauce evenly over beef mixture.  Replace top halves.

Mommy Monday: Mother's Day Run

I'm a little behind on my Sunday Rundays.  Saturday nights have been busy and late and that's usually when I type these up.  Not that last night was any different.  Thatbaby's party is next weekend, which means I'm up late every night doing party prepping and crafts.  But it's getting embarrassing that we're nearing a month behind on these posts, so let me fill you in on the last race of my 3-in-a-row series.

I was tired and sore from running the Del Dio Trail Run the day before, but this race had a lot going for it.  The whole family would be joining me, and it didn't have an insanely early start.  Plus, they really took care of the runners.

When we got there, they had booths set up just handing out fill sized bars.  "Take as many as you'd like, we have a ton."  Lara bars, Luna bars, Clif bars, and some I'd never even heard of.  Which means breakfast was taken care of!

 They also gave out full sized bottles of suja.

Which Thatkid really loved.  

 Good Pop popsicles also set up a stand.  Which I really appreciated after the race!

 I called this race my "redemption race" after my abysmal performance the day before.  I knew it would be nice and flat.  And short, since I was only doing the 5k option.  I'm not typically a competitive runner.  The only person I want to beat is myself.  But I did the classic runner trick where I picked a person in front of my and tried to pass them.  It worked, and before long I was at the half-way point.

I did the same philosophy on the way back.  This time counting women.  I knew I wasn't going to be in the top 3, which are the only ones who would medal, but I wanted to see how close I could get.  The last half mile I was playing cat and mouse with another women, who eventually finally gave up.

I crossed the finish line as the sixth female.  And while I didn't get a PR, I was solidly below 30 minutes, which definitely felt good after the day before.  Like I might be back in my groove.

Once I finished the race, I collected a rose and a goodie bag and hung out on the grass.  Thatbaby examined my swag.

Inside were all kinds of samples and coupons from Burts Bees, Babyganics, and Dr. Bronners.

 

One of my absolutely favorite parts of the race was the kid's dash.  A lot of races have these tacked on these days.  But what makes this one stand out is that it's free.  Which is such a nice perk, and honestly such a great idea for a Mother's Day race.  So that families can be there together.

 

Thatkid lined up and ran his little heart out.

It was a redemption race for him too!

Sick in the Spring: Chickpea, Bacon and Chile Soup

You know about Murphy's Law, right?  Things always seem to happen at the worst possible time.  Like when I picked up Thatbaby from daycare yesterday only to be told I had one very sick baby on my hands.  Of course I did.  I mean, first week of work, what better time for a sick baby?

Thatbaby is pretty miserable.  But he's also lucky, because last weekend I made a big batch of chicken stock.  Which means I have the means to make the perfect homemade remedy for his illness - soup!

And not just any soup.  Chicken noodle is probably the go-to soup for most people when they're sick.  But this is 2016 - we don't need to stop with the same soup that your great grandmother served your sick grandmother. 

I love bean soups, because pureeing beans always gives such a rich and creamy texture to soup.  Chickpeas aren't typically used in soups, but there's no reason why not.  We already love them in hummus.  At least in my house.  Adding the smokey bacon works in the soup, and frankly would be a nice addition to hummus too!  But what really helps sickness is the addition of chiles.  Removing the membranes and seeds takes away the heat, which makes it good for little guys, but I think personally think chiles still have some healing power!

Chickpea, Bacon and Chile Soup

3 1/2 cups dried chickpeas

7oz bacon

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 long red chiles, seeds removed and chopped

9 cups chicken broth

1. Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with water.  Set aside for 24 hours to soak.  
2. Drain the chicpeas and place them in a large saucepan with enough water to cover.  Bring to a boil and boil vigourously for 10 minutes.  Drain and rinse under cold water.
3. Cut the bacon in half.  Cut half of the bacon into strips and leave the rest whole.
4. Return the pan to the heat and add 2 Tbsp of the olive oil, then add the oion, garlic, and chile and sweat for about 5 minutes.
5. Add the drained chickpeas and cook for another 2 minutes.
6. Pour in the broth and add the whole piece of bacon, then bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until the chickpeas are tender - about 2 hours.
7. Remove the bacon and discard.  Puree the soup until completely smooth.  Season to tasste and keep warm.
8. Heat a skillet and add the remaining olive oil.  Add the reserved bacon strips and cook over a fairly high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown.  Drain on kitchen paper towels.  
9. Ladle the soup into bowls and scatter the bacon on top.

Crave Wednesday: Mushroom and Provolone Patty Melts

I hope you had a very happy Memorial Day weekend.  Ours was busy.  I know, you're shocked.   We went to a pool party on Saturday, an indoor play space on Sunday, and a brewery on Monday.  I was almost looking forward to the slower pace of work on Tuesday.

And speaking of work on Tuesday, I started a new job yesterday!  It's only been a day, but so far, so good.  My schedule is going to be pretty much the same, so don't think you're going to get any sort of break from my whining about being tired.  Or short on time. 

So meals like this will stay weekend meals.  Because no one has time to wash 2 pans during the week.  At the same time, is it so bad to have a patty melt on the weekend?  Picture it, you've had a hard week, all you want is to relax, sit down and sink your teeth into a warm patty of meat, dripping with cheese, and mushrooms.  You deserve it. 

Mushroom and Provolone Patty Melts (From Cooking Light)

3/4 cup thinly sliced onion, divided

1 lb 93% lean ground beef

1/4 tsp salt, divided

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1 Tbsp olive oil

8oz sliced cremini mushrooms

1 1/2 Tbsp flour

1/4 cup dark lager beer

8 slices rye bread

cooking spray

4 slices reduced-fat provolone cheese

1. Chop enough of the sliced onion to measure 1/4 cup.  
2. Combine chopped onion, beef, 1/8 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper in a medium bowl.
3. Divide beef mixture into 4 equal portions with moist hands, shaping each into a 4-inch oval patty.  Press thumb in center of each patty, leaving a nickel-sized indentation.
4. Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 tsp oil to pan, swirling to coat.  Add patties, cook 4 minutes on each side or until done.
5. Heat 2 tsp oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add mushrooms, remaining onion, 1/8 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper, saute 3 minutes.
6. Sprinkle flour over mushroom mixture, cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
7. Stir in beer, cook 30 seconds or until thick.  Remove from heat and keep warm.
8. When patties are done, remove from large pan.  Wipe pan clean; heat over medium-high heat.  Coat 1 side of each bread slice with cooking spray.
9. Place 4 bread slices, coated side down, in  pan.  Top each with 1 patty, 1 cheese slice, and one-fourth of mushroom mixture.
10. Top with remaining bread slices; coat with cooking spray.  Cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned.

Mommy Mondays: Mom Groups

When Thatkid was born, I was really excited about maternity leave, and staying home with him.  And that was fine for the first 3 months.  After that, I started getting a little stir crazy.  The only adult conversation I had was with Thatboy when he got home from work.  My best friends had moved away while I was pregnant, and I wouldn't have been a very good friend anyway.  Which is a hazard of having a new baby when your friends don't have kids.

But it's hard to make friends as an adult.  Where do you meet other like-minded adults if you're not in school? 

I tried taking Thatbaby to baby activities, but there's weren't a lot that worked with our schedule.  And I have a little social anxiety in those places anyway - so I didn't initiate any conversations with the other women there.

I decided to look for a local moms' group.  I went on Meet-Up and found a couple in the area.  I looked at the members to see if they had similar age kids.  I went to huge meetups and small meetups.  And I found my tribe.

I consider myself so lucky to have found these women.  It was one of the smaller, more localized groups.  And to tell you the truth, I wasn't originally going to meet with them.  They all had "older" children, born in early 2011, while my little guy was an end-of-the-yearer. 

Except one.  Superwoman had a son just a couple days younger than Thatkid.  AND she lived around the corner from me.  I ended up going to meet her, and connecting with the entire group.

It's been 4.5 years since we've met and I couldn't ask for a better, more perfect group.   They're always there for me and my kids.  They are fantastic with advice.  And they get being a mom.

I didn't really understand the importance of having mom friends before I was a mom.  I was the first in my group to get married and that didn't change the relationships with any of my friends.  But kids are different.  And being friends with other moms means they understand when you cancel last minute because your kid was up all night, or sick, or throwing a massive temper tantrum.  Being friends with other moms means they know exactly how to discipline your kids and keep them from trouble.  Or that you always have someone to take your kid to the bathroom (Thanks L&O!).  They just get it.

So one of my big pieces of advice to new moms is to find a moms group.  But not just anyone, a good one.  Like anything else in life, you can't find insta-friends with all people.  So if one isn't a good fit, try another one.  Because that saying "it takes a village"?  It's not so far off.  So find your village.

End of the Season: Iced Almonda and Garlic Soup

It was a long couple months, but baseball season has come to an end.  I would be lying if I said that I was going to miss the two-games a week schedule, but I will miss watching Thatkid play with his friends.

This was our first experience with organized sports and I think it went really well. 

Not only did Thatkid improve though the season, but he also had a really good time.  He loved playing baseball.

His favorite position was "pitcher" which for t-ball means he stands on the pitcher's mound, and throws the ball to first base after it's hit.  Kid has quite an arm on him.

But he also had plenty of practice fielding, batting, running, and even being catcher.

It was also fun for him to be on the same team with some of his friends from school.  Although that also got them into trouble quite a bit. 

At the close of the season we had a big pizza party for the team.  Which was insane.  Kids are insane.  4 year olds are insane.  Put them in a pizza joint with games and cupcakes?  Well you're just asking for trouble.  But it's so nice to see them interacting in a non-baseball setting.

Saturday we attended the closing ceremonies.  And all the kids got a trophy.  I know there's a bunch of people who think the idea of a participation trophy is silly, but it was amazing to watch Thatkid's face light up.  He was so proud, and he kept saying things like "I can't believe I got my first trophy ever."  He carried it around with him for the rest of the day.

It's funny that the end of the season coincides with the beginning of summer, since baseball is such a summer sport.  In fact, the day of the closing ceremony was HOT!  I spent the whole time fighting with Thatbaby to keep his hat on. 

And warmer weather means colder soups.  Right?  Most cold soups fall into the realm of gazpacho, fruit soups, or yogurt soups.  This one relies on nuts.  We already know that nuts get very creamy when processed (hello peanut butter!) so the creaminess of this soup is no surprise.  But it's more than just a nut-soup, the kick of garlic keeps it fresh and interesting.  Paired with a chilled glass of white wine, this is the perfect soup for eating in the backyard and enjoying the longer nights.  And in my case, the longer nights without rushing to and from a baseball game!

Iced Almond and Garlic Soup

1 cup blanched almonds

3 slices white bread (stale if possible)

4 cloves garlic

4 Tbsp olive oil

4 cups ice water

2 Tbsp white wine vinegar

1. Put the almonds, bread, garlic, olive oil, and 2 cups of water in a food processor.
2. While the food processor is running, slowly add the remaining 2 cups of water.
3. Season with salt and vinegar.  Chill for 1 hour.

Crave Wednesday: Sun-Dried Summer

Here in sunny Southern California the weather just can't seem to make up its mind.  This week it's been unseasonably cold.  Last week it was super warm.  So warm in fact, that we met up with the Pirates at the beach.

It was a beautiful day.  A little chilly, but not too cold.  And while Thatboy wore a wetsuit in the water, Thatkid was just as happy in only a swimsuit.  He and Little Pirate played in the waves and went boogie boarding and dug big holes to play in

We picnicked on the beach, and it was so nice to just hang out with friends.

When Thatkid was a baby, we couldn't stop him from eating sand.  Thatbaby has no such attraction.  In fact, he spent most of the time there complaining about sand in his mouth.  Such a delicate little flower.

But you can understand his distress when usually we eat much more delicious things than sand.  And this burger perfectly encompasses the deliciousness of summer.  In general, I'm not a huge fan of sundried tomatoes, they're too oily for me.  But Trader Joes sells them not packed in oil, but just the dried tomatoes themselves.  Like raisins.  And those I like.  I also like using spinach instead of tasteless iceberg lettuce on my burgers.  And tangy goat cheese is a perennial favorite here.  

This weekend, Memorial Day marks the beginning of the summer.  We're ringing it in with lots of friends, and very little cooking from me.  But if that's not the case for you, this is the perfect way to ease into summer.  Dust off your grills and get ready for warmer weather.

Sun-Dried Summer (From Cooking Light)

1 lb lean ground sirloin

  8 Tbsp chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 cup fresh spinach

4 oz goat cheese

4 whole grain hamburger buns

1. Divide sirloin into 4 patties.  Grill the burgers for 3 minutes on each side, or until desired doneness.
2. Place burger on bun and top with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and goat cheese.

Mommy Mondays: Musings on Two

I've been thinking a lot about my boys lately.  How Thatbaby will never know what it's like to have our undivided attention, but he will also never know what its like to be friendless.

I always knew I wanted more than one child.  In fact, my "plan"  (hahahahaha) was 3 kids, a boy, then a girl, then another boy.

We joked about our reasons for having another kid
- someone to take care of us when Thatkid ended up in prison
- someone to keep Thatkid entertained
- we needed another tax deduction

But in reality, it was based on our my own personal experience.  I knew we wanted more than one child, because I grew up with a sibling.  It's what I know.  And as much as I didn't always get along with Thatbrother, I can't imagine life without him.  A constant ally, someone who gets the same jokes I do, and support when dealing with our parents.


We went out to dinner this weekend with friends who have a baby a month younger that Thatbaby.  And they're already thinking of number 2.  Except of course when they're out with our group, where the rest of us have 2.  Because the reality seems daunting.  And in a way it is.  On Mother's Day the woman at the table next to us told us she was pregnant and worried about 2, because all her friends warned her of the chaos.

And 2 can be chaos.  There are 4 hands for making messes, 2 bodies throwing themselves from heights, and sound is exponentially louder when 2 mouths are making it. 

But then there are moments like Sunday morning, when both boys were in our bed, crawling over us and giggling.  Playing with each other.  Or those moments when I walk into a room and find Thatkid reading to his little brother.  Those moments make it all worth it.  And we're lucky - the 3.5 year age difference means there are a lot of those moments.  No jealousy, independence, and genuine love for each other.

I don't know if I really felt like our family was missing anything when we only had one child, but I definitely feel complete with our two.

Sunday Runday: Cinco De Mayo Trail Run

I got home from the Avenue of the Giants Half Marathon on Tuesday night, so of course Saturday had me running another race.

As part of my "run all the holiday races" resolution, I had signed up for the Cinco De Mayo Trail Run.  Cinco De Mayo may be a more minor holiday than say, Valentine's Day, or Halloween, but hey - it's a holiday and there's a race.  Yay!

I didn't do a lot research when I signed up, but I noticed that the 5k was the same price as the 10k, so I figured I'd get the most bang for my buck by signing up for the 10k.

And then the week for the race we got our email from the race director with last minute information.  Which is the first time I noticed the word "grueling" before the 10k.  Crap.  Reading on they describe it as a "Punishing one-of-a-kind 10K."  Crap. Crap.

"The 10K adds to this course — with a grueling out-and-back trek (or up-and-down if we’re being honest) into Blue Sky and a quad-burning +10% climb to the Ramona Dam. Take our advice and start training now!"  Crap.Crap.Crap.

So here I am, having just run a half marathon, about to embark on a 10k into "Blue Sky" which is literally Blue Sky Ecological Preserve, but works just as well as a figurative metaphor for this race which climbs into the sky.

It was the perfect morning for a run.  The weather was cool and slightly overcast, which made for some beautiful views.

The race emails warned about limited parking at the race location itself, and of the fact that at 7am the lot would close.  Both of these warnings turned out to be untrue, and as the race started there were still cars coming in and parking in the numerous empty spaces.  But since I didn't know that until it was too late, I parked at one of the off-site locations and took a shuttle to the start.  Not knowing how often the shuttles would run, I got there extra early, and then waited around for quite a while for the race to start.  Just waiting and worrying.

The race started in waves and we were off!  I got a little cocky once the race started.  I'd run my fair share of trails, and this didn't seem so bad.  Sure there were hills, but I can do hills!

And like I said, it was the perfect day for a run.  With beautiful views of the lake.

The first 2 miles were fairly typical trail miles.  Loose rock, narrow trails, and uneven terrain.  No big deal.  And then we started the climb up to the dam.

As many people slowed to a walk I thought to myself "don't walk, that will just make it take longer.  You can do this, just slow your run."   That didn't even last a full mile.  Sometime before mile 3 I gave in to the walk.  Walk a little, run a little, just make it to the top.

But finally I did make it to the top.  Yay! And then I got to run back down.  And run I did.  It was much more pleasant running down than it had been attempting to run up.  I felt good, I felt like I could finish this race.

I had looked at the course map before the start, and the course was a loop.  But for some reason I still had it in my head that it was out and back.  So once I got to the top of the dam, I thought the hard part was over.  Those are obviously famous last words.

To get back to the finish line, we had to climb another, well, really, the best way to describe it would be a mountain.    There was no other way to get back, so onward I went.  Probably the longest 2 miles of my life!  I think this sign best sums up my performance during the race.

So at least I can comfort myself with knowing that I was following instructions?   The very last portion of the race was uphill to the finish - quite the opposite of most races I've run where you can go sailing through the finish.  Instead I got to struggle up those last few feet, while  a mariachi band played me in.  Everyone should have a personal band playing them in.

When the race finished, I went and waited for a shuttle so I could get to Thatkid's last baseball game of the season.  The race had taken me almost 20 minutes longer than I had expected, and waiting for the shuttle definitely made me precariously close to being late.

This was a really challenging race, probably the hardest I've ever run.  But the course is really pretty, and I wouldn't mind running it during non-race times with some friends.  Or maybe just those first 2 miles!