Mommy Mondays: 9 Months

Weight: 20lbs 10 oz (+12bs 6oz)
Height: 30.5 inches (+9.25 inches)
 Head: 18.1 inches

 

Sleep:  Hahahahahahahahaha.  In the past month Thatbaby has completely forgotten what this is.  That's unfair.  I'm sure he remembers, he's just not interested.  Or he is interested, but the teething pain makes him unable to partake.  Poor kid.  We are in the thick throes of teething here. He's up about every 2 hours and/or has a really hard time getting to sleep.  About 25% of the time he ends up in bed with us.  One night he could literally only sleep if he was nursing.

Eating: Along with the teething, his solid eating has been a little off this past month.  He's still nursing like a champ, every 3-4 hours, and drinking 16oz at daycare most days.  He especially loves soups.  I scoop out the meat and veggies and plop them on his tray and he goes crazy.  He had 3 servings of hamburger soup this week.

Best Moment: He plays with Thatdog!  Which might be the cutest thing ever.  And we've realized that Thatdog doesn't dislike kids, he just didn't like Thatkid!  He is so patient with Thatbaby.   He lets Thatbaby chase him, take his toys and throw them.  And when we get home from work/school, he runs over to give Thatbaby a kiss.

Monthly Wisdom: If you want all the parts of your brain to work, you need sleep.  Since I haven't had sleep in a pretty long time, parts of my brain are definitely not functioning on all cylinders. These are the moments where I appreciate that this is our last child.  Because one day, ONE DAY, his child will sleep.  And then I will sleep.  And we all will sleep.  And we will live happily ever after.

Goals for the Upcoming Month:
- Get through our first MAJOR car trip.
- Get through our first airplane ride as a family of four.
- Survive Easter with the inlaws.
- Get some more sleep.

Things Thatbaby is doing:
- crying
- whining
- growing teeth!  He's got 2 of them.
- high fives!
- cruising
- He loves one of his books - Corduroy's Halloween.  He waves at in the morning.  He wants to pick it up/hold it all the time.  He picks it out to read every evening.
- Playing fetch with Thatdog. 

Sunday Runday: St. Patrick's Day 10k

I  have to admit, I was looking forward to this race.  I have no idea why.  It's not a big race.  It's not terribly well publicized.  And I'm not even Irish.

I think part of it was the fact that I got to gear myself up in my favorite color.  With a shamrock headband and leprechaun socks.  I wasn't the only one.  Mission Bay was filled with green yesterday!

It might also have been the fact that it's been years since I've run a 10k.  I didn't have any goals in mind for time, I just wanted to see how I did.  And no expectations is always a nice change of pace.

There are 3 distances for the race.  2 miles, 4 miles, and 6.2 miles.   The 2 and 4 mile started first.  And I can't really tell you anything about that course.  After they were gone, those of us running the 10k lined up.

The first 3 miles were around Fiesta Island, much like The Resolution Run.  I'm pretty sure the fourth mile was there too, but I'm not positive because after mile 3, there were no more mile markers!

But eventually we were back along the bay. 

At mile 5, there was a man with a stopwatch and a sticker that said "Mile 5" so at least I knew that I wasn't still running the longest third mile of my life. Although I felt okay.  My running app glitched and had me running 4 minute miles, so by the time I hit Mile 5, it considered me long done.  (Maybe that's why there were no mile markers after mile 3?) In reality I was running about 10 minute miles for the first few miles.

And then I saw the Finish line approaching.  And I had enough energy to pick up the speed before I crossed. 

My low expectations worked to my advantage.  I finished in 1:04.  And while that's not my fastest 10k time, it's my fastest in a long time.  And seems to correlate with my current 5k speed.

After I finished, I headed over to the line for picking up my shirt.  Since Dominoes was the sponsor, they also provided pizza for all the runners.  Yum to pizza at 9am!     I picked mine up and headed to the highlight of the race - the beer garden.

Runners were treated to as much beer as they could handle in the beer garden.   There were 4 different beers to choose from.  2 from Coronado Brewing Company and 2 from Ballast Point.  I chose a Pilsner from Coronado Brewing Company and grabbed a seat on the grass.

 Pizza and beer after a race was very much appreciated.  I was a little bummed I couldn't hang out and enjoy, but I had a baseball game to get to! So I finished up and headed out.  But there's a good likelihood I'll be back again.

Baked Tomato and Tapenade Galette

I bought a pineapple 2 weeks ago.  Despite the fact that it is far from pineapple season.  And it was amazing.  It's what got Thatbaby hooked on pineapple.

So I pressed my luck again and got a watermelon this past week.  It was not the same experience.  While both kids happily munched on slices, Thatboy and I were unimpressed by the lack of any sort of flavor.  But not unsurprised.  You just can't get good watermelon in March.

I should know better.  I used to be so good about eating in season.  And for the most part I still do.  But there are those times where I throw caution to the wind and buy what I want.  Like the plums and nectarines that came home with me over the past few weeks.

Are you sensing a trend that my impulse purchases seem to revolve around fruit?  Because they do.  And I mean the broad definition of fruit, the one that includes tomatoes.  I hate myself for buying tomatoes in the winter, because they are not a year-round fruit.  But at the same time, I love tomatoes, so it's hard not to pick some up every week at the store.

Paired with goat cheese and balsamic vinegar, these winter tomatoes still shine.  Balsamic is great for bringing out sweetness that way.  The puff pastry isn't given a chance to rise. making these galettes a flaky tart, as opposed to an overly doughy pizza.  In reality, this really is a summer recipe.  Light and crisp, they'd make the perfect picnic staple.  Especially with summer tomatoes.

Baked Tomato and Tapenade Galette

1 1/3 cups goat cheese, chopped

 1/3 cup heavy cream

2 Tbsp chopped basil

1 sheet of puff pastry, cut into 6 inch rounds

4 Tbsp sun-dried tomato paste

8 plum tomatoes

4 Tbsp olive oil

4 Tbsp chopped thyme

4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

1. Heat the goat cheese in a small saucepan.
2. Mix in the cream and remove from the heat.
3. Add in the chopped basil and some freshly ground pepper.
4. Preheat the oven to 350.  Place the puff pastry rounds between 2 sheets of wax paper and place on a baking sheet.  Lay another baking sheet on top and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.  
5. Turn oven to a low temperature.  Divide the sundried tomato paste between the pastry rounds.
6. Spoon a small amount of the goat cheese mixture into the center of each round.
7. Slice the plum tomatoes thinly and arrange on top.
8. Drizzle the rounds with olive oil
9. Season with salt and pepper and put in the oven to warm for 3-4 minutes.
10. Sprinkle with thyme.
11. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve.

Crave Wednesday: Griled Lemon-Basil Tofu Burgers

When I was in elementary school we would make seasonal locker decorations every month.  You know, like hearts for February, or turkeys for November.

In March we made lions and lambs.  To a school child, this was fairly confusing.  Because what did lions and lambs have to do with the month of March?  I remember my teacher explaining to us that there was an aphorism about the weather in March.  (We took our weather pretty seriously in Pennsylvania - aphorisms and groundhogs) Either "March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb" or "March comes in like a lamb, and out like a lion."  In essence, March is one of those months whether the weather is variable.  It's not temperate, like June, or freezing like January.

This March is coming in like a lion.  Not just the weather, although the storms the past few days certainly are leonine.  It's also been lion-like in terms of every other aspect of my life!  Work and home are like a whirlwind.  With that in mind, I've been looking to simplify my time in the kitchen, which for me, means relying on a lot of vegetarian meals.  In find them much easier to throw together than meals with meat.  I also like the lighter feeling they leave me with, since it's hard to be always on the move with heavy meals on your plate.

Thatboy and I have been eating tofu a couple times a week in our lunches.  And I've been experimenting with how to prepare it.  Grilling tofu is probably not your first thought when it comes to tofu, but it's a fantastic solution to anyone who may be tofu-shy. Tofu's best quality is that it takes on flavors beautifully.  So marinading it gives you a deep, rich profile.  Grilling it gives it some body, and really, almost everything tastes better grilled!

Grilled Lemon Basil Tofu Burgers (From Cooking Light)

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil

2 tsps grated lemon rind

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 garlic cloves, minced and divided

1 lb firm tofu, drained

cooking spray

1/3 cup finely chipped pitted kalamata olives

3 Tbsp reduced fat sour cream

3 Tbsp light mayonnaise

6 hamburger buns

6 slices tomatoes

1 cup trimmed watercress

1. Combine basil, lemon rind, lemon juice, mustard, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper, and 3 garlic cloves in a small bowl.
2. Cut tofu crosswise into 6 slices.  Pat each slice dry with paper towels.  Place tofu slices on a jelly-roll pan.  
3. Brush both sides of tofu slices with lemon juice mixture, reserve remaining juice mixture.  Let tofu stand 1 hour.
4. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.  Place tofu slices on grill rack coated with cooking spray.  Grill 3 minutes on each side.  
5. Brush tofu with reserved juice mixture.
6. Combine 1 minced garlic clove, chopped olives, sour cream, and mayonnaise in a small bowl; stir well.
7. Spread about 1 1/2 Tbsp mayonnaise mixture over bottom half of each bun.
8. Top each with 1 tomato slice, 1 tofu slice, 2 Tbsp watercress, and bun top.

Mommy Mondays: Breakfasts for Babies

So Baby Led Weaning has been going strong here.  Thatbaby is a voracious eater, which works out pretty well for us.

The hardest thing for us has been breakfast, since we're in such a rush in the mornings.  In fact, before Thatbaby started eating, Thatkid and I both ate our breakfasts in the car or at school/work. 

I know I'm not the only one out there facing this dilemma, so let me share with you some of our favorite morning meals!


Toast
 Toast with butter, toast with avocado, french toast.  For each of these I cut the toast into 4 sticks to make it easier for him to grasp.

Eggs
These easiest/best thing I do with eggs is make them over the weekend.  So I can just reheat and serve during the week.  And the easiest way to do this is by making "egg cups."  I mix together some egg, cheese, and vegetables, then pour the mixture into muffin cups and bake until set.

Pancakes
On the weekend I make pancakes on request, and enough where I have leftover to use for breakfast during the week.  Or, if I have a couple of extra minutes, I'll make a 2 ingredient pancake - mashed banana and egg.  I also keep frozen waffles on hand, which are great for teething, and really quick breakfasts.

Fruit
Sliced apples, pears, pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, mandarin oranges.  Lately with the teething I've also been making use of frozen fruit - mango and pineapple are big hits here.  Blueberries dipped in coconut yogurt and then frozen are also a fun and easy breakfast treat.

Cereal
Oatmeal is super messy, so I like to keep that one for the weekends, but when I make it, I make it thick, so it's easy for him to eat with his hands.  Cold cereal, without milk, is a really easy quick breakfast idea.  Cheerios and Puffins cereal are the two we keep on hand.

Sunday Runday: Current Favorites

I feel like every blogger keeps you updated in the things they're digging, and I love reading them.  So helpful in finding new obsessions!

So I thought maybe it would be fun to share with you some of the things that keep me moving lately.


Nike Free 4.0 Flyknits

I can't remember if I mentioned this or not, but I'm picky about my running shoes.  I know.  Show me a runner who isn't, and I'll show you a person with blisters and sore knees.  When my favorite running shoe got discontinued (Nike Max Motos), I started a search for a new shoe.  UDubb has been indispensible in this pursuit.  These were a Christmas gift from her, and I was a little skeptical, but I adore them.  They're like a cross between my beloved Vibrams and a more traditional running shoe. They have it all, light weight, flexible, but supportive.  So far they've been pain-free and super comfortable. 


Zombies, Run!

This isn't new, and I've written about it before, but it deserves an honorable mention because
it's my motivation for my weekday runs.  Plus I think it helps with my speed.  I'm very invested in this season, which is fun and full of zombie vikings. 


The Police's Synchronicity II


Currently my favorite running jam.  As soon as I hear the opening chords I just want to go faster - many miles away.  I have no idea why I'm so into this song right now, but I am.


Shower beer

I could probably right a whole post just about this.  One of my favorite rituals after a long weekend run.  Especially since the weather has been so warm lately.  The combination of the cold beer and the hot shower is surprisingly perfect.  ("The hot and the cold are both so intense, put them together it just makes sense.")  Beer has electrolytes, making it great for hydration, and carbs which is perfect for refueling.  Just make sure you eat something before you pop in the shower.  Because the combination of beer, heat, and an empty stomach could be very dangerous.

Athleta Straight Up Capri

 I got these pants when I was still pregnant with Thatbaby, and they worked for most of my pregnancy, but I appreciate them even more now that I'm not longer pregnant.  The higher waist band helps to cover the other result of my pregnancy (2 for 1!  Baby AND stomach flab!)  They're comfortable and the material is nice and thick.  I really appreciate the high quality of Athleta clothing, and if you're in the San Diego area, now is a great time to restock your closet or try it for yourself.  This Saturday, March 12, Athleta in UTC is having a blogger appreciation day and offering all of YOU a sweet discount! Just stop by and mention my blog!  Time to find some favorites of your own!

Suddenly Spring: Chocolate Ice Cream Soda

I'm loving the weather lately.   It means my morning runs are not quite so cold.  It means we've been spending a lot of time outside, enjoying it.   It means it's time to reintroduce ice cream.

I'm weird with ice cream. I know there are people out there who love it.  I'm married to one of them, and the daughter to another.  I don't love ice cream.  I mean, I like it okay, but it's not a "need to have" thing for me.  If ice cream is offered for dessert, I'm just as likely to pass.  And I'm really uninterested in the winter.

I just have no desire to eat cold things in the winter - with the exception of salads, which I adore year-round.  Ice cream for me is strictly a summer treat.  So now that it's getting warmer, the idea of cold, creamy ice cream sounds really appealing.  And I especially like it in drink form.  Because I'm super lazy, and straws require less effort than a spoon.

Milkshakes are fine, and I do appreciate a good milkshake, but if we're going for low effort, a cream soda is the way to go.  No blender to clean, it's a one-cup recipe.  Just put in 3 ingredients and stir.  Which gives you more time to sit back and sip!

Chocolate Ice Cream Soda

3 Tbsp chocolate syrup

1 cup sparkling water

2 scoops chocolate ice cream

1.  Mix everything in a tall glass and stir.

Mr. Baseball: Turkey Burgers with Roasted Eggplant

Well, we made it 4 years, but now we have entered the world of sports.  Baseball to be exact.

The mother of one of Thatkid's friends alerted me that they could play on the same team, and so we signed him up.  I liked the idea of him starting his first team sport with friends, which I hoped would keep him interested and on the field.

So far, so good.  His team is made up of 3 and 4 year olds, and they are adorable.  Probably just about the cutest thing you've ever seen.

Practices have been going well, as the kids run through drills, batting, catching, and running the bases.

And we now have a game every Saturday.  Which is fun.

We start with the pledge of allegiance, and then play 2 innings.  Instead of 3 outs, we play so that each kid gets to bat and run the bases.  Then we switch sides.

The kids all take turns playing the different positions.  So far Thatkid has been catcher, 2nd base, and shortstop.

So far, Thatkid seems to really enjoy baseball.  He talks about it all the time, his team, the different teams, rivalries, etc. 

Although like most 4 year olds, he is does sometimes get bored or distracted.  Like the rest of his team.  This is a picture from during a game.

We also are using this as an opportunity to teach him about baseball greats like Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson.  And show him our favorite baseball movies like The Sandlot and Rookie of the Year.

The baseball practices are during the week, which adds on to our already busy schedule.  They're at 4:30, so dinner needs to be quick and ready to go shortly after we get home.  Burgers are a great quick cook meal, especially if you prep that patties ahead of time.  Then you just need to throw them on the grill and you have a meal in under 10 minutes. 

I've mentioned before that turkey burgers run the risk of being dry.  Adding pureed eggplant into the patty definitely helps with that.  I like to form the patties and then throw them in the fridge for whenever I'm ready for them.  The pureed eggplant also works as a nice burger topping.  

Turkey Burgers with Roasted Eggplant (From Cooking Light)
1 eggplant
cooking spray
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley, divided
4 tsp olive oil, divided
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 lb ground turkey
1 tsp lower-sodium soy sauce
1/4 tsp marmite
4 hamburger buns, toasted
4 Bibb lettuce leaves
8 slices tomato

1. Preheat oven to 400.  Lightly coat eggplant with cooking spray; wrap in foil, place on jelly roll pan.  Bake for 45 minutes or until very tender, turning once.  Remove from foil; cool slightly.  
2. Cut eggplant in half.  Carefully scoop out pulp to measure 1 1/4 cup.  Discard the skin.  
3. Place pulp in a food processor; process until smooth.  Reserve 1/4 cup pureed pulp.  
4. Combine remaining pulp, 1 Tbsp parsley 2 tsp oil, juice, and garlic.  Stir in 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Set aside.
5. Combine reserved 1/4 cup eggplant puree, turkey, 1 Tbsp parsley, soy sauce, and Marmite in a large bowl.  Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, gently shaping each into a 1/2 inch thick patty.  Press thumb in center of each patty, leaving a nickel sized indentation.  Cover and chill until ready to grill.
6. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Lightly coat patties with coking spray; sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Place patties on grill rack and grill 4 minutes.
7. Carefully turn patties over and grill 3 minutes until done.  Place 1 patty on bottom half of each bun; top each serving with 1 lettuce leaf, 2 tomato slices, 1 Tbsp eggplant mixture, and top half of bun.

Mommy Mondays: The Mom Bathing Suit

The ground hog was definitely on his game this year.  We are experiencing an early spring, it's almost summer here!  Warm, beautiful weather means that our beach days are not too far off.  And I'm already trying to work in swim classes to coincide with baseball games.

Shopping for bathing suits isn't really very fun for most women.  But for some reason, after women have babies, it becomes an even more daunting task.

Perhaps its because I have never been skinny, or because my large breasts have always made bathing suit shopping a battle involving covering up, but I didn't experience a huge change in finding a bathing suit after having kids.  So here's what I've learned in the past 30something years about finding a flattering, functional swimsuit.  And yes, functional is something that's definitely important when there are kids involved.


My current favorite bathing suit trend is the rash guard.  Because they are so cute right now - this one is from Athleta.  And probably the most functional of all swimsuits, because you don't have to worry about little hands pulling down a strap, or a breast flying out as you run across the pool or beach when your child attempts to make a break for the water.  The only downside is that these are not terribly great for nursing.

These are my favorite one pieces.  The high end version from La Blanca, a more affordable version from J.Crew.  Both have nice, thick straps which is really important in terms of dealing with grabby hands.  And both are ruched, which is a nice and forgiving for any extra weight you may carry in your midsection.

In terms of tankinis, I prefer halter tops, which I think provides the most support for larger breasts.  I also like the sweetheart neckline, which I think is the most flattering.  See - flattering and functional.  This one from Old Navy has a great flare at the hips also.

Two pieces are especially nice for nursing.  But they can be lacking in support.  I love the look of this one from Target.  The wide band under the cups offers a little more coverage, and the adjustable straps are a definitely plus.

 But the most important thing you can wear isn't the suit itself, it's confidence.  It's so easy to be harsh on yourself and your body. And bathing suits help with that, highlighting everything you perceive as a flaw.  The great thing about having a kid, is that your child will never judge the way you look in a swimsuit, just whether you spend time with them and play with them.  And there is nothing more attractive than a woman who looks like she's having a great time.

Sunday Runday: Mardi Gras Run Walk

Or the race that almost wasn't.

Or somehow bad starts always end up with good times.

This was one of those races where all my good plans just went to pot.

I set my alarm on extra loud, we all woke up and got out of the house on time.  Which was great, because when we pulled in to Mission Bay, the road was closed.  Which is weird, and should have been my first clue.  But it wasn't. 

We parked, and walked the mile to where the race started.  Except, it wasn't where the race started.  I hadn't bothered to check.  I just knew it was at Mission Bay and figured it would start where all the Mission Bay races started.  It didn't.

Of course, by that time, there was no way we were going to walk the mile back to the car and make it over to the race by the time the kids' dash started.  We got there about 10 minutes after that race had finished.  I felt terrible.  Thatkid had been so excited about the race.  I talked to the people running the race, and they said that if Thatkid ran the last part of the 5k with me, he could still "earn" his medal. Bonus point 1 for the race.

We picked up our bibs.  Instead of a t-shirt, this race offered light up Mardi-Gras hats.

The race had promised a bead and boa station, and the beads had been Thatkid's incentive for the race.  He wanted beads!  So we set off on a search for them.  And were disappointed there were no beads to be found.  We heard a rumor they were handing them out on the course, and I promised to get some for Thatkid.

I cheered on the start of the 15k and 10k, hit the bathroom, and then I was ready to run!  The course ran along a different part of Mission Bay.  One that was new to me.  It involved a nice, dedicated path along the water.  It wasn't terribly flat, but the hills were small and rolling.

I felt good during the first mile.  It wasn't as fast as my last race, but it was comfortable.  And the field was small, so not too much weaving.  Plus, I was getting texts like these from Thatboy:

At mile 1 I looked for beads, and didn't see any.  The turnaround was at mile 1.5, where there was a water station and volunteers handing out beads and "boas."  And that's when I figured out what a bead and boa station was.  I explained to them that I wanted some extra beads for my kid, and they hooked me up.  Bonus point 2 for the race.

When I hit mile 2,  I texted Thatboy a warning I was 10 minutes away, so he could get in position.  I slowed my pace a smidge, because I knew Thatkid would have been rested and was going to be sprinting those last few feet.  Just after mile 3, I picked up this little hitch-hiker, and we put on some "blazin' speed" and ran to the finish line together and collected our medals.

Given the comfortable pace, stopping to talk to the volunteers, and running with a 4 year old, I had already convinced myself this would be another 32 minute race.  So you can imagine my surprise when I saw my time was 30:57.  I'd finally done it!  I beat my 32 minute streak!

I loaded Thatkid up with the beads and boas.

Despite my user error, I can't say enough good things about the race.  Good course, easy parking, sweet volunteers, a cool medal, and frankly the hat is cooler than a typical race shirt.  I also told Thatboy that as bad as I felt about missing the kids' run, I really loved finishing the race with Thatkid.  He's my favorite running buddy and it just makes my heart swell to hold his hand and take off.  I love that he loves it, and I love that he enjoys doing it with me.

Theme Parks with Friends: Sangria

Last month Thatkid ran the Legoland Marathon Mile with his friend Lexus.  One of the perks of the race was that we got free entry to the park for the kids, and 50% off adult tickets. 

The last race we did with Lexus also had us in a theme park, Sea World.  And the kids had such a great time in the park together, we figured we would do a repeat this time.  I was pretty excited on Thatkid's behalf, because there is nothing more fun than getting to ride rides with your friends.

He did do a couple rides with Thatboy, but spent most of the time with Lexus.  The two of them are just so cute together.  They figured out a way to share the glider board on the stroller.

Lexus talked Thatkid into hitting up Heartlake City, and then at some point he decided this was the "girl" part of Legoland and didn't want to go there.  This lasted a very brief time, and was completely surpassed by his ability to meet the girls of Heartlake City.  He was especially impressed by Stephanie.  During the show, he ran right up to her and gave her a huge hug.

Thatkid convinced his friend to join him for posing with some lego friends.  Because he's still in that "take my picture" phase.

And as anticipated, they had a fantastic time riding together.

Even Thatbaby got into the action.  He didn't get to hang out with a friend, but he did get to go on his first amusement park ride!

We had such a fantastic time with Lexus and her family.  It makes me so grateful Thatkid has such fantastic friends to share our adventures with.

Our current adventure involves oranges.  And I wish I had more friends to share with, because our tree is generous.  We picked over 60lbs of oranges!  Which means lots of orange juice, orange smoothies, and orange muffins.  Plus a drink that makes use of that orange juice!  It also uses red wine, which is my Friday night drink of choice during the winter. 

Sangria

1 cup orange juice

3 cups red wine

1 orange, washed and sliced

1 peach, peeled and sliced

1 lemon, washed and sliced

confectioner sugar

soda water

1. Mix together juice, red wine, and fruit and let stand 4-6 hours.
2. Add ice.
3. Stir in confectioners sugar and soda water to taste.