Banana for the baby

I started my current assignment when I was about 4 months pregnant. As my stomach got bigger and bigger I got all obligatory attention from strangers, coworkers, and strange coworkers.
The benefits for big belly included an almost definite pass to a seat @ any nurses station ( though I must say, the shnucky PA students frequently pretended not to see and often I was too proud to ask), lost of advice on what to do and not to do, and bananas 'for the baby' from residents whose only way of showing attention and appreciation was to save their dessert (banana) and later give it to the recepient of the appreciation award.
Initially, (when my belly looked like that of someone who likes to eat ) I noticed a banana on desks of 2 of my coworkers (left over from the previous regime). And though there are bananas on sale in the cafeteria (50c each), I was told that those bananas were given to them by appreciative patients.
A bit envious of the attention and the 50c savings, I acted like an adult and either brought a fruit from home or just bought something from the cafeteria.
But, in less than 2 months, I got my first banana! And I was told 'it's for the baby' so I didn't even pretend to protest, graciously accepted the gift, and ate it.
Then, as my belly grew I started getting 2-3 bananas per day. And when I'd politely decline and say that I already had a banana, I'd be told " It's not for you, it's for the baby!'. And how can I refuse that kind of bananas!?
I diligently shared my bananas with all the coworkers who wanted them. Yet, there wasn't a day when I wouldn't eat a banana or two. If popularity in my gym was measured in bananas, I would be the undefeated reigning queen with no close competitors!
My baby is, thank God, almost 7 months. My fan club slowly dwindled. One resident was transfered to another facility, one went home, a few noticed that I obviously don't have such a huge belly anymore. One resident switched from bananas to milk and I kind of like the variety. However, if you'd see my desk today, you'd notice 7 bananas on it. And it's not that I'm hoarding them. I just have one die-hard friend who brings me up to 3 bananas per day (all but one banana coworkers have moved on). When I tell her that she doesn't really have to do that since I already gave birht to the baby, she insists saying " You're feeding him, right? Then eat the banana!"
I'm concidering opening a fruit stand with competitive pricing of 25c per banana ( when I overcome my fear of being accused of stealing bananas from the elderly).

A dollar saved is a dollar earned

Last night was another one of those nights when I sat by the computer around 11Pm and felt as fresh as a cucumer in my fridge ( For those who haven't seen my refrigirated cucumbers they are typically slightly wilted but still fit to be eaten in a salad cut up into small pieces).
So I decided to check my bank account, my email, my facebook ( thank you Moshe for convincing me to join- I have one more excuse to stay up late), baby gap, banana republic, gymboree...And that's when I got stuck.
They had some promotional deal going on. And based on the clock, it just started so all the sizes were still available! How can I possibly bypass an oportunity to buy ( yet another) matching outfits for my daughter and my nieces and matching outfits for daughter and son?!
So my shopping bag quickly filled up to 20-something items. Exciting yet obscene because the box with 20 something items @ my door step will be quite large, hubby would most probably see it first and i'll have a hard time explaining my reasons for buying the stuff.
So I trimmed the shopping bag to high teens. Not bad at all, considering all the bargains they had.
Then I remembered that I have a 20% off coupon to be used online only. The only thing I didn't remember is where I put this coupon...
[As a side note, my desk is the funeral home for all the letters, circulars, periodicals, professional publications, and bills prior to their departure to the recycling bin. However, for some of these items the viewing can last for days, if not weeks. In short, my desk is cluttered.]
I quickly tried to look for my coupon on my desk which I almost cleaned last weekend. I didn't find it. Then I remembered that I went shopping a couple of weeks ago and the coupon may be in the trunk together with my loot which I slowly unload (not to create panic by bringing it all in at once). The only problem was- it was now after 1 AM, I was in pjs, upstairs...
But what the heck, 20% off my high teens items in the shopping bag can buy me another outfit.
So I went downstairs, out to my car ( which was thankfully parked in front of my house), and to the trunk. I got the bag which I had the coupon and then the trunk refused to close. It's done that a few times before but somehow at 1:18 am it seemed more dramatic if not borderline creepy- me standing on an empty street, repeatedly slamming the trunk and it refusing to close...
It closed after what seemed like an eternity -5th attempt.
Then I quitely came back upstairs, opened the bag, searched through all the stuff I almost forgot I bought and DIDN"T SEE THE COUPON!
I took all three bibs, two doggy pocketbooks, 1 pair of pants, 2 gift boxes, and wrappings out of the bag. NO COUPON.
Now I had a tough choice to make. Do I buy the stuff now without the coupon but with the assurance that everything I chose will be mine or do I wait for some time in late morning when I'll be albe to inspect many potential coupon hiding places, hopefull find the coupon, and place the order then ( with the possibility of some of matching-kids-pieces out of my shopping bag).
With uncharacteristic decisiveness I chose the first option. A bit sour about that extra outfit that I won't be able to purchase with my savings that didn't happen, but happy overall.
Now I have about a week to convince hubs that kids should have professional photos taken in matching outfits ( he already knows how much I love my nieces...)

Facebook

After finally heeding the advise of my friends, I've seen the light aka facebook. The next question is will I see my pillow again or will I be one of those people with keyboard inprints on their face?

Joys of motherhood-Nursing (aka Breast Feeding) and cosleeping

As soon as I posted my thoughts on insomnia and before I got a chance to go downstairs I heard my baby's precry- the small cry which is on-need-to-know basis which if not answered within 1/2 a minute becomes a loud cry for all-who-can-please-come-and-help which if not attended to within a minute and a half or so becomes a i'll-wake-up-the-nighborhood-if-i-have-to yell. But I digress.
I attended to my baby, went to get some tea, and thought of something else I'd like to type about- nursing and co-sleeping.
There are lots and lots of health benefits to breast feeding ( a term which I prefer to use but which I think i'll substitute with nursing because it's shorter:)). But that's not the sole reason why I chose to nurse my son.
Ever since my good friend Yelen told me (when Eh was still an infant) that she used to nap while nursing her baby, my life hasn't been the same. Gone were my backside pains from sitting forEVER day and night, at least 20 minutes at a time trying to make sure Eh's eaten enough. Gone were the nights when I'd catch myself snoozing with an infant on my lap ( something silimar to falling asleep on a subway and waking up with a start cuz your head fell on your chest and squeezing the handles of your pocketbook greatful that it's still there).
Cosleeping was discovered!
How convenient is it to just plup the hungry baby next to you, the baby eats, you don't know when both of you fall alseep. The next thing you know it's the morning and you got pretty decent amount of sleep!
With SiM things were even less complicated. If I'd nurse him and we cosleep, I'd never really have to wake up, much less get out of my bed to feed the baby! And I won't even have to think of going downstairs to make fresh milk every time a baby woke up- blah! Plus, the health benefits...
[His bassinette is actually next to my bed, cramping up the bedroom (and moonlighting as a closet) but I can probably count on my fingers the times that he'd slept there. ]
Lately, I'm beginning to think that I'm a victim of my own laziness yet again. My baby monopolizes my bed leaving me a little space on the edge( though even if he was more polite and took the edge, I'd have to politely decline since my bed has no side rail). I fold myself on that little space so that I don't hurt him in my sleep, waking up stiff almost every morning. Also, since food is readily available to him, he sees no shame in asking for it every 2 to 3 hours (more frequently, if he isn't feeling his best).
Last Thursday, when I got a crippling (though thank Gd very temporary) back spasm I decided to overcome my fear of sleepless nights (though at this point, I literally have to fear only the fear itself since sleeping in intervals is not your average good night's sleep) and evict my son from my bed! Maybe putting it in writing would make it more official...Don't know, but so far he is enjoying my bed ( as I type) and I'm thinking of rereading subwife's cosleeping post.

Insomnia

When I was a pregnant insomniac I kind of enjoyed it. It gave me some private time to connect with the contects of my belly, think about the future, and often blog about it.
Now, every time I have a bout of insomnia, I'm afraid to start a long blog because I never know when my 6 month old ( who doesn't sleep through the night and can wake up as frequently as every 90 minutes) will wake up. I don't want to be interrupted in the middle of a thought for once lost my thoughts are seldom found.
By the way, he woke up as soon as I started the title of this entry. So I have time to write now (but darn it, the main point I was trying to say is aluding me now).
Anywho, now even if I do get up and sit by the computer my head is still filled with questions but they are typically more bizarre and less pleasant when they used to be in my pregnant days...
I have less than 6 hours til wake up, will I get up with the alarm or sleep through it? ( I can wake up later but then I will either have to make up hours and come home later OR work less hours. That one's self explanatory).
I ate 4 or 5 Godiva chocolates which I got from my sis for my daughter's bday or chanuka or both. Now, I need a drink which means I have to go downstairs. Do I make myself a decaf coffee, take some red wine, drink plain water, make nice medium tea...? Do I have to brush my teeth again!? If I drink tea would it wash off the chocolate and then I can at least eliminate the tooth brushing?
Would my baby wake up while I'm making myself tea and would he wake up my daughter before I make it back up? Would I care to drink my cold tea after the kids go back to sleep, etc, etc, etc
Anyhow, I think I'll go make the tea

Digital Camera

When I met my hubby he had a digital camera and I had my trusted Fuji (the one that I got for my 16th bday from my friend Miriam). It took hubs a lot of convincing and demos of why digital cameras are better. And, I finally switched to one when I got it for some special occasion( my birthday, anniversary, some other happy even, or just because...).
Since then hubby's done some inservices and other public ed on why one shouldn't save ALL the pictures that one shot with digital camera but my carry over is far from excellent.
I just can't bring myself to delete even one picture of my kids- so what if it's blurry, so what it I have another 10 shots that look almost identical? They aren't really identical- each shot is unique and it depics a cute face, a great expression, a movement that is so characteristic of my baby!
I also don't seem to bring myself to print these pictures too often-once I can view them (in the camera or on the computer) the need to print them is not so great...( Btw, that's how my computer crashed last year- memory overload.)
But as part of self improvement, I've been slowly printing those pictures. I found a decent Duane Reade Lab on my way from work and printed about 3-400 pictures there.
Then, I changed assigments ( work location). Blah, blah, blah.
I tried CVS online- it took over 1/2 hour to upload 100 pics ( not to mention the time it took me to proof what I was uploading) and the pics were far from perfect AND out of order ( not a good thing for someone who neurotically prints every shot and then as neurotically puts then in albums in cjronological order).
My newest love is snap fish. Just now, after spending less than 4 hours online I've ordered 606 prints. I'm almost current with printing all those 'power shots'.
And, what's an even bigger accomplishment- only about 10% are blurry, 15% -20% are of similar poses/occasions, and less than 5% of people and thngs that I don't really need to have in print, i.e. hard copy.
Now if I make it to Amazing Savings before the prints arrive to buy albums there and sort all prints into albums within a week, maybe i'll reward myself by buying a more sofisticated camera where all the shots will be fit to print! Snapfish, here I come!

poetry

I saw this poetry years ago but in vernacular it sounds absolutely lovely!
Вчера я ехал на работу
в метель, туман и гололёд,
вдруг мимо пронеслась Тойота,
взяла опасный поворот.
Пересекая автостраду
там, где сплошная полоса,
водитель мазалась помадой
и тушью красила глаза!
Как тут от злости не беситься?
Я в гневе бритву уронил
(я дома не успел побриться
и по дороге щёки брил).
Упала бритва в кофе прямо
(между колен стоял стакан -
мне вкусный кофе варит мама -
его я пью в такой туман).
Когда предмет тяжёлый падал,
крутой горячий кипяток
плеснул туда, куда не надо -
там третьей степени ожог.
И вот от боли я подпрыгнул,
и из моей руки другой
вдруг выпал телефон мобильный -
и снова - в кофе по прямой.
Не помню, что там дальше было...
Открыл глаза: больница? морг?
Теперь ни тачки, ни мобилы...
Зато повязка между ног.
Весь загипсован под завязку,
без гипса только голова.
А вот мораль у этой сказки -
У ВСЕХ БЫ БАБ ЗАБРАТЬ ПРАВА !

Allergic reactions

Last week Subwife http://subjugatedwife.blogspot.com/ was lamenting the state of US education (to summarize very succinctly her Dec 6th entry). Personally, I think this whole education vs general knowledge thing is overrated.
To get to the point...Yesterday, I was on one of the units, writing some evaluations and socializing with friendly social worker and dietitian. A few general topics were covered, including menu of the week, menus of holiday parties for residents, demented residents, and weird family members, nourishments, etc
Then the dietitian said, "Forget about hash browns that are served as latkas. The other day, one of kitchen supervisors mentioned that he isn't sure if he can serve an eggplant to a certain resident because he ( the supervisor) doesn't know if the resident is allergic to eggs!"
All one can do is wonder if this allergy dilemma would make Sherri Shepherd itch?

Eh's is 2

I've been a mom for 2 years!
I'm speechless!

Speaking in full sentences

That's what my little Eh did Saturday night!
I was putting her to sleep ( since hubby was on some work assignment). She wasn't falling alseep, asking for hot milk. I pretended to be asleep so I won't have to actually get the milk.
Then, the front door opened. "Abba home", said Eh. "Abba bring Etty hot milk."
Now that's a full sentence!

Chanuka

A very happy chanuka to all my friends and family! It's SiM's first chanuka ( and Eh's third though she didn't turn 2 yet:))
We lit the chanuka candle together and Eh was very delighted about the whole process. Afterwards we had a read 2.5 course dinner with dessert ( so it's 3.5 course). And Eh absolutely loved her jelly cake ( donut). Hopefully I'l remember to attached a picture.
PS SiM has low grade fever ( though I can think of other ways to commemorate his first chanuka thank Gd he is overall ok). Peace

Clementine

How easy is it to peal a clementine?
Pretty darn easy, if you start from the top and the clementine is fresh. Not so easy if the clementine was in the fridge for a couple of weeks and you don't know the trick with starting from the top...
Well, today my big Eh ( who officially turned 23 months yesterday) peeled an old clementine all by herself! She didn't let me help her once, the process took her more than 5 minues but I think she enjoyed this clementine more than usual- she ate most of it ( whereas the clementines that I give her are usually juiced only and the pulp ( still pretty juicy by my standards) is discarded)! Good for you, Eh!
PS Today SiM ate his first green peas. The peas were preceded by carrots, apples, sweet potatoes, and prunes. And, he eats all this in a high chair.
Where was I while he turned from a little raisin to a solid eating infant?