Born to be an Elf

Elf, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

Does he look like an elf, or what? He is actually a lot cuter than this, but this photo is hilarious.

Christmas Girls

Girls, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

Of course, little A. wouldn't wear hers.

Christmas Boys

Boys, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

We've had our tree up for 2 weeks now, but the night we put it up, the kids donned their Santa caps.

Happy Birthday Daryl!

The love of my life turned 43 yesterday. As is typical, there was a family Christmas gathering on his birthday. There was a birthday cake and the family all sang to him, but it wasn't really a birthday celebration. So I decided to have a special family dinner in his honor tonight. I made pasta with 2 sauces: tomato with olive and capers (jarred) and pesto (homemade). We had crusty bread dipped in olive oil, caesar salad, and his favorite apple pie. We sang again, too. The house started out an absolute wreck because Saturday was a family Christmas gathering also, so 2 days in a row we rushed to get ready and out the door, leaving a mess behind. We arrived home late last night, emptied the van of the mountain of gifts we'd collected, and deposited them in the family room. Everyone rushed off to work and school this morning, leaving me with the mess, but I was able to use the birthday celebration to motivate them to clean it up tonight.

Thanksgiving

We invited my entire family and Daryl's entire family to join us for dinner. As it turned out, only my mother-in-law accepted our invitation. On Wed. afternoon the day before Thanksgiving, I called a friend in town to see if she would be in town for the weekend, as I wanted her daughter to babysit on Friday. As it turned out, her family was staying home due to an impending snow storm. They were planning to have dinner by themselves so I invited them to join us. They have 6 children, so it made for a lively household. Daryl had also invited several students over who would otherwise be alone, and one accepted his invitation, so there were 19 of us. We put 2 tables together and were able to seat everyone. J. and I. made placecards for everyone, which made the table look really nice. I cooked a fresh 20 lb. turkey, which I got in the oven around 8am. Daryl got up with me and we ate fresh bread from the bread machine that I'd put in the night before and watched the movie "Sideways" on the laptop while I got the turkey ready to go in the oven. It was nice to have some quiet time together before everyone else got up.

I made garlic mashed potatoes, gravy, salad and a sweet potato pie with a shortbread crust. My guests, who are vegetarians, brought salmon, pumpkin pies and stuffing. My MIL brought peach pie, berry cobbler, rolls and cranberry sauce. The salad had mixed greens, goat cheese, pinenuts, dried cherries, and grape tomatoes with a simple dressing of olive oil and balsalmic vinegar. It was really good! Unfortunately our grill ran out of gas, so we had to broil the salmon, but we did that while Daryl carved the turkey and I mashed the potatoes. Our guests washed a lot of the pots and pans before dinner! That was wonderful. We ate around 4pm. I bought " kid wine" (sparkling grape juice) for the kids, which they love. The food was scrumptious and a wonderful time was had by all. Our guests left around 6:30pm and we layed around and munched dessert the rest of the evening.

Stroller Racing

DSC_0515, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

Perhaps I shouldn't have allowed this, but they were both having a great time!

Double digits--a decade old!

DSC_0913, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

On November 20 (the day after A's bday) we celebrated another birthday. L. turned 10! He had a party with some friends the day before. We had it at our house, and the boys played sports outdoors. I served pizza, cupcakes and ice cream. A good time was had by all.

On the actual day we held our family celebration. He got a skateboard and helmet and some action figures from Daryl and I. His sister gave him a new jackknife, since he's been doing a lot of whittling lately and the one he had is tiny and not really up to the job.

The birthday child picks the meals all day long on his birthday, and he chose blueberry pancakes for breakfast, leftover pizza for lunch, and tacos for dinner, with homemade cheesecake covered in blueberry topping for his birthday cake. Mmmm was that cake good!

L. is an extremely affectionate, sensitive child. He is very tuned into the feelings of others, and goes out of his way to be kind and helpful. He has a great sense of humor, and is a lot of fun to be around, so he has many friends. He is also very smart, excelling in all areas. He brings joy to me every day!


BIRTH STORY

L. was my only child born before my due date, 2 days "early". I had gone to water aerobics in the morning, then taken an afternoon nap while my little ones napped. I woke up and ate an apple with some almond butter. I noticed a few contractions then, but didn't think much of them because I have so many contractions at the end. I began making dinner, and the contractions began to be more regular and demand my attention a little more.

I called Daryl around 5pm, who asked me if he had time to go running first, but I told him to get right home! Meanwhile, I stopped making dinner as it was distasteful to me. He came home and finished making dinner and fed the kids.

Soon I felt it was time to call the midwife. She told me to come in. First we had to call our wonderful friends who had offered to take the kids. The contractions were getting more intense, and the kids were responding to my mood. J. was hanging on me and demanding to be picked up. I really couldn't handle it, so Daryl took the kids next door to our neighbors while we waited for our friends to arrive.

By the time we arrived at the birth center it was 8:30pm, somewhat later than we'd told the midwife, and she was beginning to wonder if I'd changed my mind! LOL As she checked me she said, "You're about 5cm and I feel a big bulging sack -"SPLASH! My water broke and splashed all over. She literally jumped back to avoid getting doused. There was a tiny bit of meconium in the fluid but not enough to worry about.

I began pacing the room. I tried the tub, but didn't like it so I resumed pacing. Then we realized that we had forgotten to get more film for the camera! Luckily, a janitor was in the building, and Daryl asked him to run to the store, which was very close. (I wouldn't let him leave). After a while I squatted on the toilet which felt really good. As it got more intense, I told the midwife that I had changed my mind, and I didn't want to have this baby today! She laughed heartily at that one.

Eventually I went and sat on the bed. She turned down all the lights. I felt drowsy and dozed between contractions. Transition was intense, but then after many hard contractions in a row, one began and then petered out without ever getting really bad. The midwife told me that that sometimes transition ends abruptly that way.

I was suddenly very sleepy and not having any contractions. I dozed for 5 minutes or so and then the contractions resumed and I felt the urge to push. After only 2-3 contractions, out he came! The midwife helped ease his shoulder out. He weighed 10 pounds exactly and was born at 10:30pm. He was extremely alert after his birth and we have many photos of him looking right at me.

This was my most "textbook" labor and one of my easiest deliveries. It was my first midwife attended birth and birth center delivery. Daryl thought it wouldn't make such a big difference in the experience, but was awed by how intimate and special it really was.

We had brought some snacks, which I ate, and then after a while, I felt good enough to get up and get dressed and we went home, arriving around 2am. We joke that it was just like going on a date, only we came home with a baby! Despite the quiet house, I was unable to sleep, of course.

Our friends kept the kids until the next day midmorning. They had made them each a "big brother" and "big sister" button and stopped and gotten them each a small "gift" to give their new baby brother. He was born on Monday, 3 days before Thanksgiving.

Windy City

DSC_0726, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

This picture has been digitally enhanced by Daryl. It was a cool picture to begin with, the sun shining on the trees on a cloudy autumn day, but he brightened the colors a little.

Lincoln Park Zoo

DSC_0720, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

I know these pictures are out of order, but I finally got some pictures available to post from our trip the first weekend in November.

The Gang in Chicago

DSC_0509, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

Birthday Girl

DSC_0810, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

Baby is 1!!

My baby turned one on November 19. Always a bittersweet day for me, although it is not really the end of babyhood, but a significant milestone, a warning that this stage is passing quickly.

She had a nice day. Grandma came to visit and we had a simple butter cake with whipped cream icing in the shape of a heart.

All About Me

That's the title of the new fun quiz I created! Thanks, Kathy!

Take my Quiz on QuizYourFriends.com!

Seasonal Favorites

Wanted to share another couple of favorite recipes before fall officially draws to a close. I know it's another month until the equinox, yet as the first flakes fell today, winter seemed imminent.

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2 cups canned pumpkin
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
4 cups flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda combined with 2 tsp. milk
1 11 oz. bag chocolate chips

Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes

These are a delicious, soft, moist cookie.

I use only half a bag of chocolate chips, and I think that's perfect, but the recipe calls for a whole bag.



APPLE BREAD

1 1/2 C vegetable oil
2 C brown sugar
3 eggs
3 C flour (I use a combination of white, whole wheat, wheat germ, ground flaxseed, and oat bran)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cardamom (optional if you don't have it)
2 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. apple juice, cider, milk, or water
3 C chopped apples
1 C chopped nuts (I don't use the nuts)

Grease a 10 inch bundt pan or 2 9 inch round cake pans or a 9x13 pan. Bake at 350F for 30-45 minutes (depending on size of pan) until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

This is actually more of a cake or coffee cake than a bread. It is SO good, excellent for breakfast. It's one of my family's favorites.

5K!!

Last weekend I ran in the local 5K Turkey Trot. I have been training for it for the past 7 weeks, starting with running 1 mile and adding a tenth of a mile each time I ran, which was approximately 3-4 times a week. I was inspired to do this by a friend of mine, who has been running for the past year and was planning to run this race. I told her I might begin running and do it with her, but she told me that she felt I didn't have enough time to build up to running that far. Being intrinsically competitive, I couldn't ignore that challenge! I ran a 5K 3.5 years ago and spent about 4 months training to do it. At the point at which we had this conversation, I had about 3 months, but didn't get started right away because I have been struggling with foot pain and I was hoping it would improve. When it didn't, a visit to the doctor confirmed that it was Plantar's faschiaitis, but the doctor said running wouldn't make it any worse.

It was a beautiful balmy morning, and I finished in 28 minutes, 55 seconds. My goal was to finish in under 30 minutes. Last time I finished in 29:48, proving that I am indeed getting better with age! I was 20th in my age group, 40-44 year olds. My friend finished in 28:35, only 20 seconds faster than me.

Running in this race was a lot like giving birth for me. It was painful, because I ran a lot faster than I normally do, and I was SO glad when it was over! All I could think was "I never want to do that again!" for the first 5 minutes after I finished. After about 30 minutes, however, I was excited and thinking how much fun it would be to do that again. Which is exactly my thought processes after giving birth.

I encouraged my kids to run, and 2 did. L. took 3rd place in his age group in a 1200 meter race. J. ran the 5k and finished in 29:27.

Chicago

The first weekend in November we went to Chicago. We kept the kids out of school on Friday, and had lofty goals of leaving at 9am. Unfortunately, D. got the stomach bug on Thursday evening, and was unable to help get ready. I had spent most of Thursday getting the oil changed on the van and other necessary errands. As of Thursday night, 2 kids didn't want to go and were being uncooperative and the others were being only marginally helpful. Friday morning dawned with a trashed house, tired mama, and sick dad. We almost changed our minds about going, but the kids had better attitudes, one of the naysayers had changed his mind, I went back to bed for another hour and awoke feeling fresher, and by midmorning D. was feeling a little better. So we left at noon, arrived in Chicago around 4pm local time. We walked around Millenium Park, enjoying the art and sculpture, and then went to Giordano's Pizza for Chicago style stuffed crust pizza. From there we proceeded to our friends' home in Downers' Grove. They have one child, who is 18 months old, and he was amazed to see all of us arrive, and overjoyed to have so many kids to play with.

The next morning we laid around and relaxed. After lunch, we went to the Field Museum of Natural History where we spent about 4 hours with our friends enjoying the exhibits. Exhausted, we returned to their house and had carryout Mexican. On Sunday, having exhausted our hosts, we headed home, stopping to enjoy the free Lincoln Park Zoo on the way. Unfortunately, my digital camera was in my daughter's pocket, which was unzipped, when she visited the restroom. After a dip in the toilet it no longer works, so there are no pictures of the trip or anything else until I replace it.

The trip was a much needed respite from real life, after a whirlwind fall that included many sports and other children's activities and a very intense work and travel schedule for D.

Stricken

I know you all were waiting with baited breath to hear what happened next in our illness saga. I awoke this morning feeling extremely tired and kind of strange, and soon had full-blown malaise: nausea, extreme bodyaches, killer headache. I didn't actually barf, although I might have felt better if I had. As for that macho older son, he returned from his soccer game feeling much worse, having won the game but succumbed to the illness. And 10 year L., who had spent yesterday being righteous, complaining how inconvenient it was to have sick family members, and that the house was contaminated and he had nowhere to sit that wasn't contaminated, was (perhaps rightfully) stricken down this morning also. I felt genuinely bad for him that he had to miss his school Halloween party as well as trick or treating. D. had to work late, and I was too sick to take them trick or treating, but only J. and I. were really well enough to go, so they went with some of J's friends.

And Another One Down....

It's a picture perfect fall day today, but I have decided to stay in and try to stay on top of the laundry. Why? you ask. Because as the stomach flu moves slowly through the family, continuous laundering is required to stay abreast. I particularly love how young children run while puking, so that it is spread over as large of a surface area as possible. So far, 4 of the children have definitively had it. The eldest, in typical male macho fashion, went to his soccer game with a stomach ache, in denial of his symptoms, so I'm guessing it will be 5 victims by the time he returns. Baby A. managed to crawl through some vomit this morning, moving too quickly to be stopped, since the rest of us were distracted by helping the victim, cleaning the mess and being grossed out. She was immediately washed off, but I suspect it will have been in vain. So far, the adult duo has remained well, but I am not hopeful about our chances.

Not to mention that we may have infected all of our party guests last night. At party time, the only ill person was 2 year old K., who voluntarily sequestered himself in my bedroom (he was afraid of the fog generated by the fog machine), but obviously several others were about to become ill, and presumably contagious, as they double dipped apples in caramel dip, chips in salsa, and veggies in ranch. The party was a success, however, and a good time was had by all.

Good News!

The good news is, D. made the basketball team! As a mother, though, my heart was breaking for all those boys (15 made the team and 21 did not) who were waiting outside with long faces when I went to pick him up from tryouts, while the coach talked with the boys who made the team.

My Week

Sunday: Dh gone to DC Sunday night onto Monday.
Tuesday: D. finds a big pile of dog barf under his dirty clothes in his room (which he and L. cleaned up).
Wednesday: A piece of the vacuum is discovered missing and it won't work without it. That afternoon I. came home early with a stomachache, threw up when she got out of the car (after telling me and the school that she didn't feel like she needed to throw up).
Thursday: Dh leaves very early for Pittsburgh, will be home Friday. I. stayed home from school since she'd thrown up the night before. I spent the day folding all the laundry (it was about waist deep) in an attempt to find the vacuum piece, since the vacuum is normally stored in the laundry room. The laundry room is now empty and the piece was NOT in there! While folding all that laundry, I noticed a piece of clothing wedged in the corner of the couch. When I pulled it out, it was covered with what looked like vomit, and I peered into the crevice of the couch and there was some in there. Ewww! I didn't have time to deal with it right then. Then J. arrived home from school and said her stomach hurt, followed by diarrhea and fever. When I came home from one of my many trips to and from kid activities, I saw something on the floor by the couch, and it looked like a chunk of vomit. Turns out it was a piece of KFC chicken from last week that I'd thrown out of the frig into the trash the night before. The child latch on the garbage cabinet broke the day before, so now both A. and Spot are getting in the garbage. Spot apparently HID his chicken in the couch! It wasn't vomit, it was chicken. I removed the couch cover and washed it. L. brought home a note from I.'s teacher telling us that 17 of 25 students were absent that day (including her) due to the stomach flu and they called the health department. They disinfected all surfaces in the classroom, but apparently it is very contagious. During the night last night I was awakened by a high pitched mechanical whine, wasn't sure if it was the water softener or the furnace blower, but it was loud. After a few minutes it got quieter and faded away, but I had a hard time falling back asleep. I almost called dh so he could hear the noise and tell me what he thought. I was not about to go into that creepy "Michigan" basement at 4am by myself. Last time there was a loud noise, though, it was the a/c burning up when the bat was in there.

We invited about 60 people to a Halloween party tomorrow night at our house, and I am supposed to be getting ready today, but J. is home sick and my sitter who normally comes on Friday, doesn't feel well either.

TGIF!