Mommmmmmieeeeeee

So it's been a hard week for me. AP has another cold and it has been pretty rough on many levels. Not only has she been waking up at night regularly, but she's been having weird tantrums, usually around 3am, where she throws off her beloved blankie (which she usually can't sleep without)and kicks her legs against the side of her crib. All of this is done while screaming "mommmmieeeeeeeee" over and over again. Not fun. She's also starting to throw tantrums when things don't go exactly as she expects them to. For instance, if she asks for a banana and I peel one for her and give her a small piece instead of letting HER break off the piece herself, she goes nuts. I feel like she's really tied to her routines and preferences these days and if we deviate even slightly, she breaks down. Is this typical toddler/21 month old behaviour or perhaps a reaction to being over-tired from the frequent colds and other illnesses that have hit our household in the last few weeks...? Or perhaps a reaction to her father being away?

Anyways. I just needed to vent. I know my problems are insignificant given the state of today’s world and sometimes I feel guilty venting and feeling overwhelmed by things that don’t involve famine, violence or massive earthquakes. I know I am SO lucky and blessed in so many ways. But sometimes, I feel that if I hear another whiny “mommmmmieeeeeeeeee” come out of my typically sweet little girl’s mouth, my head might just explode. Thanks for listening.

A - What I like about her

I’ve wanted to write about the topic suggested by S in her last post for quite a while. I’m glad that she brought it up, it gave me the motivation that I needed to sit down and write.

Motherhood has been tough for me in many ways, and until recently, I found it difficult to simply enjoy AP’s presence without feeling restless or overwhelmed with fatigue. But lately things within me have shifted and I find myself able to enjoy simple moments with her and to revel in all the new things that she’s doing. So here is a list of things that I love and truly cherish about her. Many of these things relate to things that she says, and how much she makes me laugh.

I love the fact that she…

Still squeals with delight when we play hide-and-go-seek and I’ve found her in the same spot for the 10th time
Says “I find me” when I find her in her not-so-hidden hiding spots
Sings Jingle Bells and other recognizable songs to herself when she wakes up in the morning
Delights in eating with her hands (yes it’s messy, but so fun to see her enjoy the textures)
Is really getting into pretend play. The other day she put one arm through her jacket sleeve, grabbed my bag and said “bye, bye, I’m going”. I responded with “where are you going”, and she said “home”.
Thinks it's hilarious to pull down her pants
Likes broccoli and cauliflower
Enjoys trying to help me when I'm cooking
Has wild curly hair that seems to be dreading on its own
Occasionally says ‘please’ when she really wants something
Will often report back to me when another kid at daycare has hit or bitten her
Tries to count along with me, and it usually goes something like this “1, 5, 8, C, D”
Loves to cuddle with me (and allows me to smother her with kisses several times a day)

I love this girl.
A.

Some of my favorite recipes

Hi all,

What follows is not a meal plan (since I'm not that organized...yet), just a quick list of some of the recipes that I'm enjoying and making frequently these days. I'm kind of obsessed with lentils as of late, quinoa too. You have all inspired me with your recipes, so I hope some of you will enjoy these too. Oh and although AP doesn't eat these regularly, she definitely gives them a try when she sees me eating them. We still frequently make seperate meals in our house, which isn't so stressful since AP eats fairly simple meals - pasta or couscous with olive oil and some seasoning (she's anti-tomatoe for the most part), hummus and bread/crackers, cream cheese and bread/crackers, grilled chicken & fish, omeletes, with all of these usually accompagnied with steamed broccoli or cauliflower. She also eats tons of blueberries (I buy the PC organic frozen ones) and grapes, and some yogurt. In terms of snacks, I make blueberry and oat bran muffins regularly, along with other kinds, which she usually eats. I can post those recipes another time.


1. Two kinds of lentil soup

a. Coconut red lentil soup

b. Lentil soup with leafy greens (I used kale)

2. Black bean and sweet potato burritos - I froze the leftovers and they were great for lunches

3. Chicken and quinoa soup - I love this soup! I also usually add some greens to this one. Very easy to make.


Happy cooking.

A.