Do-Over!

I need a do-over! Last night I made the worst meal. Ever. For a friend I hadn't seen in almost 10 years. I was mortified.

Normally, a weekday meal for guests isn't a big deal given that both kids are in daycare during the day and I work from home which allows me to do some major multi-tasking. Normally I get the kids ready for the day, drop them off and then come home to shower, work and do whatever needs managed around the house. Normally the house would be clean and 90% of dinner made before my guest arrived.

Yesterday was not a normal day. Actually, I suppose it was. There's no such thing as "normal" anymore when you have kids. But let's just say it was not ideal conditions for hosting guests for dinner.

Before I even had a chance to take a shower, daycare called to inform me that Fletcher was throwing up. Poor little guy. Brought him home and prayed it was a fluke and he would be fine. Three changes of clothes later - for him, only 1 change for me - I realized. sadly, that indeed he was sick.

The afternoon quickly approached and I needed to get busy with dinner. Just as I began to get Fletcher settled so that I could prep, he threw up, yet again. This time, right into his car seat! Nice. Stripped him, pulled the cover off the seat (yes, you can do it with one hand while holding a baby with the other) and threw everything into the wash.

Fletcher, having purged again, was feeling better and settled down to sleep. I started to prep dinner - a recipe I had never made before but nothing overly complicated. I won't share the recipe - it is from one of my favorite chefs and I dare not disparage this chef because of my own failures. One day, when I have made it again and redeemed myself, I will share it because I'm convinced that executed properly it will be great.

The chicken was to be sauteed and then put in the oven with a creamy mushroom sauce to finish it off. My gut was telling me to butterfly the chicken and pound it out. Chicken breasts get dried out, rubbery and over-done so easily in the oven. I've NEVER had much luck baking chicken breasts. Tenderizing is the way to go. My gut told me to tenderize, but my head told me I didn't have much time to get everything done so just follow the recipe and hope for the best.

Everything was going well, chicken was browned and I was in the middle of prepping the sauce when Fletcher started having a meltdown. There's no way to stop mid-sauce so I moved him to the swing on the edge of the kitchen and did some sort of awkward aerobic move leaping from him to the stove and back. Needless to say, the sauce over-reduced and got a little too thick.

Fletcher once again settled down, giving me just enough time to do a quick surface clean in the kitchen and get the spit-up free cover back onto his car seat before we had to leave to pick up Sydney. It was at this point I realized A) I still had not showered, and B) never had time for lunch.

Got Sydney home, fed her dinner and a snack for me. I felt like things were looking up. A shower was completely out of the question but that was ok. I was presentable. HA! No sooner had this thought crossed my mind when Fletcher threw up again. All over me. Sigh. I changed again and attempted to mask the spit-up smell.

Back to dinner. The bag of salad mix I bought the day before was wilted and slimy. Thank goodness for frozen broccoli and my fool-proof roasted broccoli recipe! The chicken did, in fact, overcook. It was the worst rubber chicken dinner ever and the sauce was a thick mess. My friend is very gracious. She ate a more-than -respectable amount of that horrible chicken and never looked twice at the pile of unfolded laundry on the counter, dishes and bottles lined up near the sink or toys scattered all over the floor. Thankfully I had some wonderfully fresh Florida strawberries and shortcake for dessert. Saved the meal.

Lessons of the day. Listen to your gut. If a kid is sick, just cancel your plans. Or order take-out. Your true friends won't care. Thank you Sandie!

Side note - I am sitting here writing this and feel eyes on me. I look up and see this precious face smiling back at me. I think he's beginning to feel better.

Spring Is In The Air

The air is getting warmer and daylight is hanging around a little longer in the evenings. I remember thousands of evenings like these as a child, going back outside after dinner to play before the sun went down. Throwing a softball with dad, riding bikes, jumping on the trampoline, hide-and-seek in the shadows, catching fireflies, trying to outrun the sunset.

As a child, it is the sweet spot of the day.

Tonight I caught a glimpse into our future with Sydney doing much of the same.

Playing with rubber snakes (we are the benefactors of MANY from the previous owners)...

Kicking the soccer ball with daddy...

Down the slide...

Some serious chats...

Topped off with a bubble bath!

First trip to the zoo!

A few pictures from our trip to the Houston Zoo today. Sydney loved it!

She was really into the chipmunks.

And wanted to kiss the meerkats.

Of course we had to visit the tiger.

The only thing missing is our visit to see the monkeys. That's when Sydney got hungry and practically became part of the exhibit... running and laughing, then kicking and screaming along the way. She was actually more entertaining than most of the monkey's who were trying to take a nap.

So we fed the wild beast and all was well again!

Yes, Fletcher was there too. Showing off his new teeth.

And the final stop... our girl loves the carousel!

WI - When will it end?

OK, I'm going to wade into the political waters on my blog because I just cannot believe what I'm seeing take place in Wisconsin. There are a lot of competing opinions about what is going on - is this about unions or budgets, which side is being more unreasonable and so on. I'm not going to dive into that pool, but I do want to spend a moment venting about what I consider to be the bottom line - the Senate democrats who fled the state to avoid voting on this legislation.

Can you imagine being handed a project at work, deciding you didn't want to do it and leaving, demanding they assign it to someone else before you return? I imagine you would soon find yourself in the unemployment line.

Yet that is exactly what these legislators have done. They are basically blackmailing the state. Took the legislative process hostage and sent their ransom note. Real mature.

We live in a democratic society with elected representatives. Generally when you cast a ballot, you know the basic principles of the candidate you are voting for and how they will represent your interests. The voters in WI overwhelmingly elected a conservative Governor and body of legislators last fall. For now, conservatives control the way the state is governed. If they mishandle it, or go against the will of the people, voters will have the opportunity to make adjustments in the next election. That's the way it's always been and we have seen the pendulum swing left and right election after election.

As an elected official, you do the best you can in the political environment to offer up suggestions and alternatives. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. Even my 17 month old knows to quit stomping her feet and give in to me putting her hair in pigtails because right now I control her world. Later on, she can decide how she wants her hair to look (God help).

Seriously though, it's a brilliant and very fair system we have.

For this group of democratic legislators to hold up the entire process because they don't like the bill is childish and irresponsible. It's been two weeks. Point Made. They need to man-up, come home, vote no on the bill and then work like crazy to convince the people of WI to make changes in the next election. Ultimately the voters will decide. As it should be.

Pigtails!

Sydney just made my day! I have been dying - dying - to put pigtails in her hair. She barely tolerates a hair clip most days, pulling it out nano-seconds after we clip the hair out of her face. But pigtails. I mean every little girl, MUST have pigtails!

So while she was distracted by breakfast this morning, I pounced.

Here she is wondering what just happened - also giving you a better view of the back. I won't show you the full rear view as you would be appalled at my pigtail-making skills. But, hey, she was wiggly and there's no way I was going to try for a second time.

Diversity

One consideration for moving to Houston was the opportunities our kids would be provided living in a bigger city. Academics, activities, sports, culture... and diversity. Mandeville, LA was a wonderful place to raise a family but it is also very white. I grew up in a small, rural, monotone town myself. I could count the number of black students in our high school on one hand (the only high school in the county). I don’t recall any hispanic or asian students. And while I wouldn’t consider them racist, I witnessed an undertone of segregation from my grandparents. They weren’t malicious in their beliefs, they just simply had lesser expectations for people of a different race or skin color. It was the time in which they grew up and ignorance from their own monotone upbringings. I can’t begin to imagine how growing up in a segregated society would feel or affect your way of thinking for a lifetime.

I want more for my kids. It is my hope and belief that with every generation we are slowly overcoming prejudices of the past - the opportunity is certainly there anyway. It is important to me that our kids grow up surrounded by the brilliant diversity that truly represents America.

One of Sydney’s daycare teachers came to me earlier this week and mentioned that Sydney was not very comfortable with her. She asked if Sydney had any black teachers in her previous school. That made me sad, but thankful at the same time - this is the sort of life experience I want our kids to have. Already, at 17 months old, Sydney was aware there was something different about this woman. That’s ok. Different is what makes us all unique and special. But she was cautious simply because of the color of the woman’s skin. And that’s not ok.

Will we ever be free of prejudices? I doubt it. There are stereotypes associated with all sorts of backgrounds and characteristics - Black, Asian, Irish, Italian, red-head... everyone carries some degree of stereotype. Heck, even Asian is too broad - there are varying stereotypes for Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and so on. Living in Miami, I learned there is a hierarchy among Hispanics - the order of which I’m sure changes depending on whether you’re in the company of a Cuban, Venezuelan, Mexican or Spaniard. Most of these are worn proudly and should be celebrated. But never should they imply a lesser ability or change the value of an individuals worth.

I don’t pretend there is any such thing as color-blindness and we are kidding ourselves as a society if that’s what we expect. What I want is for my kids to notice the differences but have the same approach and expectation of everyone as a human being regardless. God made us each one special and unique - but we all have brains to think with and hearts to love with. That was His blank canvas. How boring if he never used any paint.

That same teacher of Sydney’s told us yesterday that they are now good friends. Joy.

Our Big Boy!

4 months old... 18lb and 26 inches.