Back to Blogging?

I miss it. I'm blogging for my work but that's just not the same. It was my intention to continue and just go private but clearly that didn't happen. The plan? I'm not sure.

Big Blog News

Hey All;

I've made a decision to make our blog private. Lots of factors going into that...no need to get into them. I would like to invite folks to send an email requesting an invitation and I'm happy to give you the password if you can tell me who you are, how you found me, and why you're following.

I also plan to start another, more anonymous blog for those of you who enjoy the read for a read's sake rather than to keep up on our family's meanderings.

Blogger only allows 100 invited readers, so in the unlikely case that I exceed that number of requests, I may switch to another host.

Hope you'll join me!

-Samantha
PS not to worry, invite requests will NOT be posted in the comments for the blog

FFF "Run" and sick again...

Julian was over the crud posted in the last post. And now he has a fever and cough- fresh crud. Dang thee, preschool! And Jon's parents are visiting. Will fill you in on that later. We've got a bunch of photos to download soon.

Anyone remember "Favorite Foto Friday?" I know it's Saturday, but the theme this week is "run" and I just have to post this photo again from December because it makes me smile every time.

Now Julian has the crud.

Julian came down with a cold and cough this weekend. He's doing okay but it's such a stress when every time he's sick we have the asthma to worry about. We went to see an allergist today to discuss Julian's eczema and asthma and he recommended that we try Singulair for him when he's sick. I'm hesitant due to some of the known side effects in children but we're considering it.

The spring has sprung here which is such a welcome relief from the months of dreary drizzle. Julian wants to eat all of our meals on the deck so we're in permanent picnic mode. It's pretty fun, I have to say.



We were walking to the coop the other day and Julian picked up a fluffy dandilion and started to blow on it. I asked "who taught you that?" Jon asked "did Heidi show you that?" (Heidi is our daycare provider.) Julian was concentrating on blowing all the fluff off and he responded "No, Barak Obama showed me." Lucky boy!

He's talking up a storm but still not getting the "tr" sound. It's more of a "fr" sound, which makes us giggle when he points out a truck to us.

Potty "training" is in full swing. I put training in quotes because Jon is anti-reward when it comes to most things, including this, so we are not exactly training. We waited until Julian was good and ready. He is in undies all day at home and has only had a few accidents so far. We're far from napping and sleeping in undies but close to heading out and about in them. Both school and daycare are on board so here we go! We probably spend almost $150 a month on diapers because we go with the flushable/biodegradable g-diapers so I won't be too bummed when he's out.

J helped me clean the windows. He looked up at me and said "I'm working really hard."













All the dishes were dirty so I gave Julian milk in a measuring cup. Is that inappropriate?













Which is real and which is Melissa and Doug (is the bite out of one a sure giveaway)?













And finally some photos of 'the farm' where we go to see the 'egg lady' and get fresh eggs. We spent a lovely 45 minutes getting shown around the farm, looking at the animals, and hearing te scoop about the goats (raised for meat) and the chickens (egg chickens except for the guy who comes every few weeks and picks out a few that he brings home then sells out of his garage for dinner) and the emu. We saw the stinky male goat pee on himself, and we saw the 'egg lady' inspect the orange slimy newborn goat poop very closely. I was very gracious and smiled sweetly, and as we pulled away I looked Jon and with that same sweet smile told him he couldn't pay me enough to ever, ever get out of the car there again. So much for the fantasy of retiring on a farm...it's city mouse all the way for me.

Soccer or Gymnastics?

I know I need to do a proper post. Can't deal now but I do need your opinion- soccer or gymnastics? We're already doing music and swimming if that affects your input.

Back to the land of the living.

I'm finally coming out of the woods here. I'm still tired, and I'm still coughing but I now just feel sick, not sick. I was able to hang out with my family a bit today, and I'm back to a tiny bit of organizing- that which makes me most me.

One of the things that I have been doing while home sick is stepping up my reading about raising a child of a different race. I personally feel that it is a big responsibility, making the choice to adopt internationally. Not only do we have the typical job of raising a healthy, happy child, but we have the job of making sure that we do the best job we possibly can of exposing him to his birth culture and then additionally supporting him as he faces the inevitable racism directed at him as a Latino man living in North America. Some days I wonder how on earth as a white girl raised in the burbs that I can even make a reasonable dent.

And then I take a deep breath. One step at a time. Step one is reading. Step two is thinking. Step three is acting. And for me, this means becoming an anti-racist parent. What may read to some as my 'losing my sense of humor' or 'overreacting' is an important choice I have made to not tolerate racist comments or jokes of any sort in my space, or my son's space. It means calling people out when they inadvertently (or deliberately) make a racist comment, and doing the best I can do personally to address my own racism that exists simply because of the culture within which I have been raised.

I recently started spending quite a bit of time on the blog called Anti-Racist Parent (I recommend this site to all of my readers with kids.) This week there was a link to a reading challenge called "Diversity Rocks!". It is a challenge to make a commitment to reading a certain number of books this year that were written by people of color. I challenge YOU to check it out and consider participating. Leave a comment if you decide to do it- I like to know that I'm in good company.

OK
Now for a few tidbits.

1. Julian keeps asking me if I'm better, then suggesting things that will make me feel better. One day I was sitting on the floor and he grabbed my head and moved it slowly back and forth. "Dat make you feel bedduh." The next night? "Kiss my foot mommy, dat make you feel bedduh." And today his offer? "You want my milky? Dat make you feel bedduh." So sweet.

2. Jon brought Julian to a birthday party that was at the local children's museum. There was a TV just at kid height showing Bob the Builder (no, we don't watch it) and when Julian saw it he ran at the TV, bounced off it, threw himself on the ground hysterical laughing, turned to his friend Megan and said "Megan, do this!" as he did it again. Megan looked at him like he was insane and Jon suddenly understood the innate difference between boys and girls.

3. Swim class continues to be a weekly event for Julian and Jon. Julian can now hold his breath and put his head underwater to blow bubbles. He lays on his back on the tub submerging his ears- just like I remember doing as a kid- everything sounds so cool like that.

4. Although Julian is a very good eater (knock on wood) I have been trying to slightly vary the foods he is being exposed to. I refuse to let his food allergies and sensitivities limit the breadth of his food options. Last night we had a Persian beef stew that someone made for us- containing garbanzo beans and cauliflower and flavored with, among other things, turmeric and lemon. He loved it. The night before we had brown rice pasta (our substitution) with a french lentil, carmelized onion and kale topping (we skipped the bread topping.) Another favorite lately is this simple recipe for roasted garlic green beans...I sprinkle them with truffle salt when they're done and call them "green bean french fries." Mmmm mmmm good!

5. My aunt sent Julian a package today. We handed it to him and he said "it's a hippo?!" I laughed and said "No, Julian, it's not a hippo, it's probably clothes." Well Julian opened the package and it was indeed clothing, including this hat and a sweatsuit with hippo zippers. Um...



And just for fun, one last shot.
Here I am with my mask on...feeding the elephant.


xo
s

Sigh.

OK I'm still sick. Took another trip to the ER (this time via ambulance) on Thursday because I had a spasm of my upper airway (called a laryngospasm) that greatly reduced my ability to get air in or out. It resolved pretty swiftly but the paramedics thought I should be checked out/monitored for a little while.

One of our friends is an OB resident at the hospital so she came down to make sure they were taking good care of me. Then her fiancé sat with me from 9pm-1:30am, and drove me home when I was released (since Jon was obviously home with Jules.) Thank you Eric and Laura!

No one is 100% sure why it happened but my voice had completely gone as of Thursday afternoon and was gone until this morning. The thought is that I was already inflamed and irritated and that some mucus (sorry mom) just got stuck and caused the spasm.

In any case it hasn't happened again, my voice is starting to come back, and I am feeling ever so slightly better (if 1 is horrible and 10 is great, I've been at a 3-4 and now could say I'm at a solid 5) albeit nowhere near normal. The coughing now comes in fits instead of all the time. My sinuses are much less painful. My fever is down to about 99. The muscles between my ribs are starting to relax a little bit.

I think that's all good!!

Julian is a trouper. He asks me every time he sees me if I'm better. I tell him soon, baby, soon.

There are lots of fun day to day things that Jon and Julian are up to...zoo, birthday parties, parks, the science museum (Jon is trying to keep Julian busy so I can rest) but I have no stories as I'm sadly missing it all. The good news though is that this too shall pass and we'll all find this to be a distant memory before we know it.

I have to say that I can't wait to post something a bit more uplifting.

Thanks to everyone sending love, and everyone offering help around here.

A few pics...

Julian took this. I LOVE the composition.


I accidentally erased the front shot of this. Jon was bummed.



I'll keep you posted.

xo
s