After 17 days on the road with 3 kids under 4, we are back home, grateful to see our beds, our toys, our books, and the 6 succulent strawberries that were ripe, ready, and waiting for us in our small garden patch. On our trip we visited 6 states and slept in 10 different beds. [...]
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Hello, friends. Baby Sister is now three months old and I’m checking in briefly to share some of my observations on the first three months of our life as a family with three [kids] under four [years of age]: 1. Going from two kids to three isn’t nearly as hard as going from zero to [...]
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1 placental abruption. 1 dash to the hospital. 19 nights on the High Risk Maternity Floor. 35 weeks and 4 days of pregnancy culminating in 1 call to Husband and 4 words: “My water just broke.” A 3rd c-section. 1 baby girl. Born 1 week ago. 6 lbs., 8 oz. and 19 1/4 inches of [...]
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So I know a lot of you are taking some time off to be with family and friends over the Christmas holiday. And I also know that grown-ups aren’t really supposed to make a big deal about their birthdays. But the kid inside of me – and, okay, maybe the grown-up part too – wants [...]
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Don’t tell Husband, but I’ve been sleeping with another guy. My paramour is about 2’6″ and 27 lbs. He doesn’t speak in complete sentences and he can’t yet cut up his own food, but he’s very easy on the eyes and he likes to cuddle. Allow me to explain. You see, my parents were in [...]
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Over the past few days I’ve read two items that have stopped me in my fleece slipper-clad tracks. My good pal (and talented author of the food blog, Meals Quotidian) Nathan drew my attention last week to a snippet from Andrew Sullivan’s “Daily Dish” at The Atlantic, which, in turn, drew my attention to a [...]
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Let me tell you, it’s a whole lot easier to feel happy during a month when Murphy’s Law is not ruling the day. Nevertheless, I continued to work on my Happiness Project last month and found more success than failure – no matter how hard the fates conspired against me in the guises of constant [...]
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If you’re a regular reader of Motherese, or if you’ve ever had the experience of dining with me in person, you won’t be surprised to learn that I have a sweet tooth. Check that. I have a whole mouthful of sweet teeth. I love candy. I love cookies. I love cake. I love chocolate. I [...]
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As I use most of my remaining synapses to figure out how to make lemonade out of some pretty sour lemons, I decided to borrow an idea from Lindsey and Denise and offer my answers to one of Vanity Fair‘s monthly questionnaires. So, here goes, folks. I solemnly swear to return to our regularly scheduled [...]
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I can’t remember if it was Bruce or Lindsey who first introduced me to the writing of the marvelous Katrina Kenison. But since I know they are both fellow acolytes, I don’t hesitate to thank them jointly for bringing Katrina’s writing into my life. I spent many of my quiet, before-bed hours this past month [...]
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As if I needed further confirmation. As if a third pregnancy, a third dive into the bin of maternity clothes, and a third round of biweekly OB appointments weren’t reminder enough. I now have a very large, somewhat aerodynamic memento sitting in the garage symbolizing our growing family and the fact that I am a [...]
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One year ago today, I published my first blog post. For the first few months, I posted every day. Then I started posting six days a week. Then five. Then three. Now whenever. Those all felt right and this feels right too. For now, at least. I’m not sure what initially drew me to blogging. [...]
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My friend Amelia recently introduced me to the magazine, Brain, Child. While enjoying my first issue this weekend, I spotted an editor’s question, which asked Brain, Child‘s readers: “Since becoming a parent, in what area[s] have you become an accidental expert.” Today, I offer you my take: 1. Biology: Toot and Puddle is not only [...]
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Jack’s comment on Monday’s post was so intriguing, I knew I needed to hear more. I was much obliged when he agreed to share his story with us here at Motherese. Please enjoy Jack’s post and then stop by to visit him at his place, Random Thoughts, where you will be welcomed by one of [...]
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Her name was Mary. She was just about my age. Mary was a great listener; I could confide in her about anything and she never told a soul. She was far more cooperative than any of my other friends. She always wanted to play the same games as I did and to listen to the [...]
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Caution, friends: life-altering stuff today. Consider yourselves forewarned. I want to talk today about eyebrows. That’s right. Eyebrows. I remember distinctly the first time I had my eyebrows waxed. I was at a fancy (read: overpriced) day spa outside of Boston. I was three years out of college, temporarily single (a story for another day), [...]
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Healthy baby. Healthy mama. Oh, happy day.
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Big Boy’s birthday came and went during my blog hiatus, with nary a fawning, demonstrative post from me. I thought I might try to remedy that today, three years, one month, and one day after Big Boy made me a mother. Big Boy entered the world much the way he now chooses to live in [...]
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I just finished reading Julie & Julia, Julie Powell’s blog-turned-book about the year she dedicated to cooking her way through Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I came into the book with high expectations. Eagerly engaged in my own happiness project, I thought I’d be inspired by reading about Julie’s. Moreover, I really [...]
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This week, Country-Fried Mama is hosting a blog carnival to help raise awareness for the Joyful Heart Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 2004 by actress Mariska Hargitay with the mission of helping victims of sexual assault mend their minds, bodies, and spirits and reclaim their lives. According to Country-Fried Mama, “The topic [of the [...]
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I’ve already confessed that I spent far too much time in front of the TV during my weeks of bed-rest. But once the worst of the nausea passed, I started to devour books as quickly as I could get my hands on them. Among my favorites were Barbara Kingsolver’s The Lacuna, Colum McCann’s Let the [...]
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Might I recommend that if: a. you ever find yourself on bed-rest; b. you feel nauseated when you read for too long; and c. you are a TV-watcher, you try to schedule said bed-rest for a season other than the summer? I’m not a big TV-watcher by nature, but I do have a few shows [...]
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Hi there. Remember me? It’s been awhile since I’ve been here. And there’s one big reason for that. Or, actually, one pretty small one. I’m pregnant, you see. 16 weeks or so. And this little creature has been kicking my butt for the past couple of months. Lots of nausea. Two big scares. Weeks of [...]
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So you know how I told you last week that I was having technical difficulties? I’m happy to report that they have been resolved, thanks to my sassy new laptop. (A PC, by the way, despite the strong Mac lobby that emerged in the comments section of my last post and on Twitter. What can [...]
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I am experiencing technical difficulties. I had a great weekend. (Yay!) But my computer didn’t. (Boo!) I’m getting a new one. (Yay!) But it hasn’t arrived yet. (Boo!) I hope to be back in business soon – reading and writing and commenting as usual. In the meantime, be well and happy blogging! Image: Computer Rebuild [...]
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Growing up, we had an expression in our family that I think originated with my grandmother: “Bad, but honest.” This expression was usually deployed when a child either readily admitted to a wrongdoing (“Kristen, did you knock over your brother’s Lego tower?”…”Yup!”) or provided an opinion that lacked social grace (a hopeful, smiling “Kristen, do [...]
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We’re coming up on a holiday weekend here in the States and I’ve got big plans. Quality time with my family. Berry picking. The farmers’ market. Our small town July 4th parade. The Tour de France, Wimbledon, the World Cup. (My remote control finger is getting tired just thinking about it!) So in honor of [...]
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Tuesday night is date night chez Motherese. Last Tuesday, just after I had changed out of my maple syrup and strawberry encrusted t-shirt and shorts, Beloved Babysitter had arrived, and I was headed out the door to meet Husband and some friends for drinks, Big Boy burst out in floods of tears. Assuming he was [...]
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I know this happens to you too. You’re minding your own business, driving to the library to return a book or sitting on the floor playing Legos with your kids, when suddenly a crystalline memory washes over you. The sights, the smells, the dialogue. It all comes back. Or at least as much as the [...]
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