Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Our Dinner Scare

Last night I had quite a scare at home. Jim was at class, so it was just me and Molly hanging out together for dinner. We had pulled chicken and cucumbers, both of which Molly has eaten before without any problem.

At one point, late in the meal, she put a whole cucumber slice in her mouth. She's a good eater, and chews well, so I told her to be careful and watched her closely. Because I watched her closely I noticed her eyes get large, her mouth open up, no sound come from her throat, and her skin start to turn purple. Because I let her have an entire cucumber slice, my baby was choking.

I panicked hard. I remember screaming "No, no, no Molly, NO, NO, NO" and I swiped my finger down the back of her throat. The piece was down there quite a ways, and was most definitely blocking her airway. Luckily it was easily removed, and I crumbled in a heap on the floor crying and rocking my baby girl. I have never in my life been so terrified, and even as I write this hours later, I'm tearing up.

I'm not writing this to be scolded for giving my child a piece of food that was obviously too large for her. I'm writing it because I think that as our kids get older, we start to get more comfortable, and begin to forget some of those safety measures we were so anal about in the first year or two of their lives. Once they get the hang of it, things like eating, or climbing, or running become such a normal part of our days, and we forget that our kids are still little, and not fully capable of taking care of themselves. And while cuts and bruises are bound to happen, it doesn't take much for something routine to become quite serious quite quickly.

My husband associated it with riding a motorcycle. He says the motorcycle becomes deadly when you stop riding it like a motorcycle, when you take it for granted and forget the dangers that come with riding. Don't take your kiddos independence for granted, and don't forget they are still kiddos. I'll be watching with a much closer eye after last night.

Monday, January 30, 2012

What's for Dinner? Tortellini Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce

If you've never heard of Pinterest, you are either living under a rock, or in your third year of law school (that was for you V). If you're not on there, find your closest friend, (who most likely is not living under said rock) and offer to trade just about anything you have for an invitation (husbands included, kiddos excluded). Within the site you'll find everything from gorgeous home decorations, photo ideas, wedding details, funny quotes, and recipes. And I'm not just talking "how to make a taco salad" recipes, I'm talking "how to make a taco salad that you'll be eating and talking about for the next week" recipes. Deeeeeelish.

Photo Credit - OurBestBites.com (Because
mine didn't look like this, and let's be honest,
yours won't either). But it still tastes
damn good!
Last night I tried out a new Pinterecipe (I made that up, like it?). My husband took one bite and said "Yup, this is what eat from now on." Sadly, if that were the case, we'd weigh in at a million pounds a piece, but for every now and again, this dish rules.

I made just a few teeny tiny changes to the original recipe. Here's my version, and the original is linked below. I highly recommend prepping the ingredients before you begin to cook unless you are some sort of crazy kitchen cooking wizard.

Tortellini Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce


Ingredients

  • 20 oz cheese tortellini (I used garlic and herb)
  • 4 oz bacon (about 5 strips), crumbled and divided
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 2 tbs flour
  • 2 c milk
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp dry basil
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 medium lemon - zested (2 tsp) and juiced (1 tbsp)
  • 2 cups loosely packed fresh spinach, roughly chopped
  • 3/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
Directions
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Fill a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil. Add tortellini and cook according to package instructions (NOTE: Do not overcook - tortellini only takes 3-5 minutes to cook). Drain and return to stockpot.
  • While tortellini cooks - in a medium-sized skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat. Cook until crisp. Remove and place on paper towels to drain and cool. 
  • Reserve two tablespoons of bacon drippings in the pan, and discard the rest.
  • Add garlic and cook until fragrant and tender, about 1 minute.
  • Add flour to pan, and whisk for 1 minute.
  • Slowly add milk and continue to stir with a whisk until smooth.
  • Add salt, pepper, basil, and red pepper flakes, and bring sauce to a simmer.
  • Add lemon zest and juice. Continue to whisk until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • Crumble bacon. Reserve one tablespoon, and add the rest to the pasta mixture.
  • Add spinach, 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese. Add sauce and stir gently to combine.
  • Place mixture in a casserole or baking dish and top with remaining mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and bacon.
  • Cover with foil or baking dish lid, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil or lid and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until cheese on top is melted, and dish is bubbly.
I hope you like it. It's a bit of work, but so very worth it! Yum yum!









Thursday, December 22, 2011

My No Texting and Driving Experiment

We've all done it. You're in your car, your phone makes a beep, or a ring, or a buzz. You pick it up.You may look at it for a second, just to know what caused the noise, or you may sit and read an entire email. If you've never done this, you either 1. probably don't have a smartphone, 2. are in the minority, or 3. are lying to yourself.

The stories, pictures, and videos of accidents caused by "texting" and driving are horrendous. I place texting in quotations because it's not just the action of sending a text message to a friend. People drive and watch YouTube, catch up on Facebook, read and write emails, or even play games.

I am the first to admit, that I have "texted" and drove. And I have done it a lot. Since Molly arrived, I have tried very hard to ignore the phone while she is in the car, as if only doing it when it's just me in the vehicle makes it ok. As if Molly losing her mom in an accident due to my stupidity and selfishness is ok. As if losing the life of a child, or someone else's mom, dad, grandparent, aunt or uncle is ok because I chose to read an email while behind the wheel.

Judge me all you want, but think, REALLY think about how many times you've even just taken a peek at your phone while behind the wheel in the past month. If you can say zero, you're pretty impressive, but I bet most of you cannot.

Last week I decided to put an end to it. I gave myself a challenge. I needed to go one full week without using my phone in the car. I did allow myself to answer phone calls, (yes, I know there is danger in talking and driving as well), but I was not allowed to check email, voicemail, Facebook, texts, etc.. I purposely left the volume on, as I needed to truly learn how to ignore this thing that consumes my life in so many ways.

The first day was the hardest. Immediately after pulling out of the parking lot at work, I received a text message. I reminded myself that I couldn't look at it. My mind started racing. What could it be? Who was it from? The curiosity was killing me. I actually contemplated pulling into a parking lot just to check, or breaking the rules just this once at the next stoplight to see who could need me. And that's when I realized something scary. These phones..they are an addiction. They are life-consuming. It's like being an alcoholic. You do everything you can to justify that one drink..that one text message. It's pathetic. It's dangerous. It's wrong.

Wanna know what happened over the past week while I ignored my phone in the car? NOTHING. Absolutely nothing. Nobody died. Nobody reamed me out for not responding to their message immediately. Nobody asked if I had dropped my phone in the river. Nobody cared.

By the end of the week, I still twitched ever so slightly when the phone buzzed and I still had to remind myself that I couldn't pick it up just to check and see who got in touch with me. But my eyes stayed on the road, and  I got home knowing it wasn't just sheer luck that caused me to arrive in my driveway without harm to myself, my family, or someone else. Even while at home, I noticed a difference. By the end of the week, I was no longer jumping up out of a play session with my daughter to check my email or respond to a text. My phone spent more time on the counter than it ever has.

Put your phone down. Tune back into your life. Keep your eyes on the road. What would you do, what would you think if someone crashed into you, hurt you, or hurt your family, just because they needed to respond with a smiley face to text message, or couldn't go two more seconds without knowing that some guy they haven't seen in 15 years just watched his kid use the potty for the first time. It's not worth it.

Put your phone down. Put your phone down. Put your phone down. It's really just that simple.

Have a safe and happy holiday weekend.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Learning to Discipline

I remember when Molly was a newborn. People would always tell me "don't worry, it'll get easier." Today I'm looking at those people like they are freaking crazy. Sorry new moms, I hate to break it to you, but it does NOT get easier. Does it get more fun? YES! But easier? No way. Yes, you have a lot of sleepless nights with newborns, and the dreaded "witching hour" every evening. But then they become mobile. At first it's just a roll-over and you need to make sure they aren't on anything high or near something dangerous. Then it's the crawl, and you need to keep your not-so-babyproofed-because-this-snuck-up-on-us house in order and your eyes on them all the time. Then the walking starts and they no longer want to sit or be held in public because, hey mom! I can walk! When they are newborns, man it is EASY. I watched more Grey's Anatomy than I care to admit. Now I've lost 20lbs, run around all day, and hope my kid doesn't stick her finger in a light socket, because I'm sure that like, next week, she'll be tall enough to do it.

My battle right now is with discipline. From day one, I have been very blessed to have a happy child, and she still is one. But she's starting to push it. With her grandparents and at school, she's an angel. Dad gets a bit of attitude, but mom, mom's the clear winner. I get hit. I get my hair pulled. I get my sweet lovable laughing child turned she-devil as she thrashes in my arms and her high chair. Where, I ask you, WHERE did this child come from?

It's not all the time, but often enough that I'm starting to realize a hard, cold fact - my kid is becoming a bit spoiled. Whine a little - do you want a snack? Cry really hard - oh I'll hold you and we'll sing. She's on to me.

Fundamentally, I get discipline. I was a high school teacher and you can't be a high school teacher without understanding the very fine balance between friendship and authoritarianism. I know when it is obvious she's just wailing for attention that I need to ignore her and she will stop. But it is HARD. Today, while she played me a fool while laying her head on my shoulder and patting my back just so I wouldn't put her in the exersaucer, I stood there bawling my eyes out because I am so scared of disappointing her or making her hate me. And yes, I know, this is how kids become spoiled and parents become walked on like a New York City sidewalk.

I try to remind myself that it actually is a good thing when she acts out. She has feelings. She has emotions. She's smart enough to know what's going to force a response for me. She's developing which is exactly what we want her to do. But doing what I need to do is so very hard for me.

So, fellow moms, what tips do you have? Not tips on how to handle the discipline with your child, but how to handle YOURSElF when disciplining. Do you walk into the other room and cry like I do? Do you stare into their eyes as they look at you with hatred and sing your favorite song about the Caribbean and think of margaritas? How do you handle yourself when you know you have to do what's best for your child and hardest for you?

And please, don't tell me it'll get easier. :)

Friday, November 18, 2011

A LOVEly Christmas Treasury

A few months back I said I wanted to share my Etsy treasuries, because 1. I love them, and 2. they can have some really great gifts on them! I haven't had any that I am particularly excited about, but today I put together a Christmas one and it just has me in the holiday spirit already, so I thought I'd share.



I don't care if it's not quite Thanksgiving yet..I'm in the Christmas spirit..are you?

Monday, November 14, 2011

Being Molly's Mom - Her Fall Photoshoot!

They say that when you become a parent, time suddenly moves at warp speed. I'm starting to understand the truth behind this statement. It feels like yesterday when we were at the hospital holding our brand new baby girl. She was so tiny, and perfect, and I will never, ever forget the feeling of having her sleep on my chest those first few nights, or watching my husband be so very comfortable having her in his arms.


A few weeks ago I decided to take Molly out for a little photo shoot..just she and I. I knew it would be my last chance before the snow hit to get her in her adorable fall outfits, so we headed up to the park one chilly afternoon. She was a bit on the serious side, but I was thrilled at how well she did without anyone there to help me rein her in, and it also hit me how quickly the time has flown. My brand new baby girl now walks, talks, plays, laughs, and gives loves. Just when you think your heart can't get any more full, you have a child, and you watch your child grow, and your heart just grows and grows with it. There is nothing in the world like parenthood.

Here's my Molly last fall, on the same weekend, in her monkey Halloween costume:


And here she is, one year later...dare I say, all grown up and ready to conquer the world.





There is nothing better in the world than being a mom.

See more photos from our shoot on my photography blog.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Thankful November

If you spend any time on Facebook at all, you'll see the daily posts this month from your friends, telling you what they are thankful for this November as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday. While I would love to participate in this daily reminder of everything I love, let's be honest, I can barely remember to wear my shoes out of the house instead of my slippers. Life is a bit nuts. So, I'm going to devote one single post to my 30 things that I am giving thanks for this year. If you really feel this should be done on a daily basis, feel free to come back every day and read this post. Otherwise, read it once, smile and laugh, and take a second to think about all you have to be thankful for this year.

This year I give thanks for, in no particular order 
(aside from 1 and 2 which really are a tie):

1. My smart, beautiful, and awe-inspiring daughter, Molly.

2. My incredible and handsome husband, James.

3. My house, which is small and messy, but is home.

4. My photography business. The fact that it exists blows my mind every.single.day.

5. My amazing clients and fans of my photography. I could go on and on and on about all the reasons they are amazing. But, simply put, my business would not exist without them.

6. My blog readers (that's YOU!). Because you let me spout off, you don't give me crap for only posting once and awhile, and I really think you get me. And that's tough to do.

7. My family, extended family, and friends. There are so many new babies, and new adventures going on. I love hearing about everyone's lives and seeing their pictures.

8. My parents and my in-laws, who have saved our butts on numerous occasions over the past year as we dealt with travel, sickness, class, weddings, and life. We both would have been fired by now if it weren't for them!

9. Wine. But I think you knew that was coming.

10. My co-workers in the Admission office. Every day, literally every day, I remember how lucky I am to work with such an amazing group of people. We have our challenges but we are one hell of a team.

11. Coupons. Because I'm cheap, and they make me less poor.

12. My Massholes. You know who you are. You guys make me sane most days.

13. Facebook. I know that's weird. But I think we take for granted what Facebook gives to us...the ability to connect and re-connect with so many people. Plus it makes us feel ridiculously loved on our birthdays or when we have babies.

14. The fact that Molly sleeps through the night. And pretty much everything else that she does. But the sleeping is really freaking high on the list.

15. WPOR 101.9 Because they gave me Kenny Chesney tickets. And because, even though I couldn't go, the look on my husband's face when I told him the reason I was screaming like a 13 year old girl at a Justin Bieber concert was because I won Kenny tickets was seriously priceless.

16.  Our daycare. Sending Molly to daycare was hands down the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. But they are incredible and loving, and she loves the crap out of them. We are so, so lucky to have found them. Now if we could only convince them to keep her after age 2...

17. Flannel sheets. Is there really anything better than the first night you have flannels on your bed each fall?

18. Hampton Inns. The beds, the coffee, the breakfast. If I have to be away from home, I love being at a Hampton!

19. Maine. Yes, Maine. If there is one thing I've learned while being a wedding photographer, it's that we live in one gorgeous state. The ocean, the lakes, the trees, the ponds, the mountains. Man, I'm lucky to live here.

20. Lady Antebellum. I know I talk about them a lot lately. But over this past year, their music has really struck a chord with me (get it? Hahaha). Seriously. Their lyrics about parenthood, marriage, growing up, and life in general just fit my life right now, and when I'm stressed or upset, listening to them gives me hope and makes me smile.

21. Real Maine Weddings. Because they were the first in the wedding business to in some way, publicly recognize me as a wedding professional. The first time I saw one of my pictures on their website I literally cried, and I feel so lucky to have been featured with them a few more times since. They gave me a lot of confidence to keep going and they don't even know it!

22. Amazon. Actually, Amazon Prime. Free two day shipping is awesome. Especially when it's two days before a wedding or bridal shower and you haven't made it to the store and have absolutely no time to do so. Live savers.

23. Green Mountain Blueberry Coffee. Game changer. Add french vanilla creamer and you are floating on air.

24. Grey's Anatomy. How did it seriously take me 7 years to find this show??!! LOVE it!

25. (Man, this is getting hard....) Pioneer Woman. Her posts make me laugh, and her contests make me feisty. One day I will win, really, every one of her 456,000 entries has a chance!

26. My red peacoat. Laugh if you will, but after years of wanting one, I finally treated myself last winter and I'm dying to put it on this year!

27. Pre-pregnancy jeans. Oh what a feeling...

28. Yo Gabba Gabba. Because it saves my sanity several times a week.

29. Banana Republic sales which have kindly re-stocked my post-baby wardrobe.

30. Anything else I may have missed! This is not a cop-out. As a businesswoman I feel that I need to cover all my bases. So if I missed you...consider yourself thanked. :)

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!