Monthly Archives: July 2008

Zero CSN

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J’s new motto — Zero CSN (zero csn sunday night) — We are part of a CSA *- below is a copy from the groupy’s e-mail about what it is. The problem is I thought this would replace our produce visits. I thought we would spend less on groceries — boy was I wrong! We layed out the money for the CSA and have basically the same shopping list…though add the extra stuff that J needs to prepare the things like collared greens and rubarb and garlic scapes….

It is a lot of pressure! I just love my peppers, cucumbers, strawberries, grapes — the real stuff you can get at a super market — I know, I’m a party pooper!

*Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a mutually beneficial partnership where urbanconsumers receive fresh, nutritious vegetables while helping to sustain the livelihoods andstewardship of regional farmers. In a CSA arrangement the farmer pre-sells “shares” in his or herfarm’s upcoming harvest to individuals, families, and institutions in the city.Tuv Ha’Aretz, a program of Hazon, means both “good for the land” and “the best of the land.” Ultimately, it also means the best for you and your family. As a Tuv Ha’Aretz member at TI, you’ll know where your food is coming from, and enjoy:
• a variety of fresh, organic vegetables at competitive prices from Calvert Farm.
• weekly produce delivery to TI, on Monday afternoons
• supporting local farms, a healthy environment, and strong community
• connecting in new ways to Jewish values and tradition
• a weekly newsletter, Tuv Ha’Shavua with recipes from the farm, divrei Torah and more!
• farm trips and inspiring education classes

Better Start…

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Today Belle got it together and had a good morning – don’t know why, but it worked. I have to keep reminding myself that she is not doing this to us. That she doesn’t set out to upset us and make us mad. In the anger of a being late for work, for not running smoothly through our “routine’ — I tend to forget.
She is not doing this to me/us.
She wouldn’t do it if she could stop herself.

Happy Birthday Auntie Lolo — 23rd!

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I know Lolo doesn’t read this blog — she would if she knew it existed…but she doesn’t yet. I remember that day, when my life as an only child was no more. When she screamed her way into our lives….we all thought she was a boy – I even convinced Grandma A that we KNEW she was a boy — LOL

I was 3 weeks shy of 10, what a special day it was. I became a sister, something I waited a VERY long time for….though now, I’m waiting even longer to be an Auntie myself:)

Love you Lolo — we all do.

One person’s lie is another person’s fiction

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Belle did it again today. She got up, she got dressed, she even came down and ate breakfast so nicely. Getting ready to leave and she says she is bringing her dog – we say, no, toys are not allowed in camp or school — party line – though we compromised to let her take him in the car on the ride.

As we pull up to drop off Cookoo and Puppy — Belle says, “you know what mommy and abba, you were right, I shouldn’t take my dog to camp, I’m glad I left him at home!”

Boy were we upset — a straight out fabricated lie.

(Fast forward 7 hours and she left the car without permission and crossed the parking lot at the pre-school without a grownup — almost full meltdown over dessert, but we were able to cut it off at the pass…this time.)

When talking to my friend and doula tonight – B – I recounted my day with among other issues, Belle — and I gotta love B — she said:

“wow! she is going to be a great writer when she is older!” A refreshing and creative ending.

M*E*L*T*D*O*W*N

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Well — the perfect end to the perfect day — a meltdown — just like the Justin Roberts song Meltdown – Belle ended today in a meltdown – this time over not getting more cookies. We went to a friends house for dinner tonight (H and I), everyone else had the 1.5 — Bob, Belle, Puppy, the friends children M and L — but Belle decided she need more, needless to say it was a car ride of piercing screeching and crying for more cookies…

I found my niche – life of the impromptu!

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We just got back from our impromptu picnic/bicycle ride! It was great — but had we planned it and thought about it — again, wouldn’t have happened. J went and got a new pump, and came home and said he wanted to take the kids to ride — but it was lunchtime….

So I pulled out salami, bread, ketchup, mustard (2 kinds), carrots, peppers, ice water & blueberries — add the picnic blanket, camera — 4 bikes, 4 helmets, wipes – plates, napkins, utencils AND BUG SPRAY — and we were off within 14 minutes flat …nope, could not have planned it.

We took two cars, and with gas prices at $4.22 per gallon, we drove the mile to a local elementary school parking lot — put out our spread, and had the entire lot to ourselves for riding.

Amid the raindrops, and sunshower…Bob took of riding as usual, Belle rode for the first time without training wheeles!! Though did take a spill — Bean didn’t love getting wet, but rode for a bit and Puppy was too funny in his three wheeler — and helmet.

I survived, though I HATE the outside, bugs and all — but I feel proud of myself, I think that I did ok…I did it for my kids. Had I had to think about it, and plan it and worry about it, I don’t think I could have pulled it off… I’m so glad we did.

Happy 4th of July!!

Shabbat Playdates O-My!

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So it started out as a simple – Bob was going to have a playdate with his best bud form birth JM – well JM has a sister EM who is Bean’s age – so they wanted to play…ok god who will we have for Belle? We call AP and she can come, thank god! So now you are thinking that I am leaving out Puppy….no no! That is when it got crazy…

BSP, my oldest and dearest friend from kindergarten gas been telling me about her friend BR and her husband RR, who have a daughter SR who is going to be at school with Puppy…but they also have a son JR who is 18 months old…BSP herself has SPa who is Puppy age and SPb who is 4 months old (yes, both their names start with S — I’m not the only one to mess this up!) so I invited both families….J was aware of this, but what I forgot to tell him….is that when I thought of who was coming — I invited TG — with her three kids – SG who is Bean’s age, LG who is Puppy’s age and NG who is JR’s age so they could meet too….

Needless to say, the 4 year olds were the loudest – the 2 almost 3 year olds cried the most…and some parents handled the noise better than others…

All in all I had a great time, lovely people — and J chose not to divorce me yet!

My cleaner upper…

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I have one! ONE — I guess one out of5 (including J) isn’t bad. I don’t know if she does it for praise, or for attention, or to please — or because she is wired that way…but when a house full of people are coming – I can count on Bean to help bring about some order and neatness to the chaos house of “Central” — thank god for middle children!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…..

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Can’t take that word anymore – It annoys me when Bob says it, when Bean says it — even when Puppy says it — but when Belle does…it brings on an entirely new meaning…

The repeated nonononononononononononononononononononononono — there are no other words…none, just no in a different pitch, a different cry, a different scream…but it continues…and cries, and screams…as I type — J is dealing with the screams… and trying to calm her, there is no talking – there is no reason…just the repeated no.

What caused it this time? Who knows….she came out of her shower — that she did greatly on her own, she was really cute coming out of the shower — I gave her her towel, and reminded her to be careful coming out, and not to slip…for a second she gave me a VERY weird blank, almost catatonic look…I laughed…and so did she, she snapped into a big smile. I asked her to dry off before she got she left the bathroom, and I would come cuddle once she was in PJ’s.

(8:49 — the screaming has ended — only 31 minutes this encounter)

A few minutes later she jumped into our bed – getting bet between our duvet and the cover — something that drives us nuts, as it rips the cover…. she said she was cold and need to warm up. I asked her to come out of the cover, get her pj’s on, and I would help warm her up under her covers.

That is when the no’s began…(this time)

I helped her into her bed, put on her pj’s and tucked her in — then it continued, the one word chorus, the unending screaches and screams… she undressed and followed me around, screaming she was cold and NO!

J took her into her bed — and somehow got her calm…he said re-direction…asking her what she wanted for lunch tomorrow – snapped her out of it, this time. And then she asked for her winter PJ’s — it is 87 degrees…and she wants winter fleece pj’s – fine, we have air conditioning, and it is getting cooler — but what prevented her from just saying “mommy, I’m cold, can I have my winter PJ’s?” Maybe someday we will know — I’m just thankful J was able to help her out of it this time…he is really good at it, he always has been…patience I need to learn.

Sensory issues, sure — can they be the cause of all these outbursts and meltdowns? We are on the quest to help her….