I am encouraging a consistent morning routine for
Belle. Breakfast is the hardest by
far. Belle only likes to eat cold
cereal, some bread, pasta, cheese, yogurt and fruit. She refuses meat and vegetables. It’s easier to give her dry cereal and
raisins while she is strapped in the pushchair than it is to serve breakfast at
our table. We had four hours before we
ran Thursday’s errand and I didn’t even have a chance to boil water for tea,
let alone prepare breakfast. What to do?
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Baby Signs
I have started teaching Belle more baby signs, as
inspired by a mom in our play group.
Belle now knows “cat,” “help” and “hot.”
At first she turned her head or knocked the baby sign book off the bed
in defiance. Now she happily opens the
book and hands it to me. Belle is
learning language in all its forms.
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Hearty whole grains
I tossed the last of the buckwheat pasta with ghee,
mascarpone cheese, spices and sugar.
Belle really liked that. She even
ate some roasted baby carrots with the pasta that were coated in the same spice.
She drank plenty of my fresh squeezed orange juice and ate all the
grapes from our CSA box. That’s an
improvement!
I found more brands and varieties of pasta made with
hidden vegetables at the market. I
didn’t buy any since I already have two boxes of Hidden Veggie pasta on hand. Belle seems to enjoy pasta now. We started with quick cooking ramen and have
since graduated. I will continue offering these hearty whole grains.
Friday, September 26, 2014
School
I want Belle to attend a particular preschool. I am steadily reading to her and taking her
to playgrounds and play groups in the meantime.
Unfortunately, Belle doesn’t speak out in groups yet. She observes before she jumps into free
play. A skill assessment taken by the
doctor this summer ruled out delay or disability. When Belle didn’t answer a female
acquaintance, the woman suggested federally funded preschool, if only for the
sake of early intervention. I guess she
assumed Belle is mute because she hasn’t seen otherwise.
The Lottery
Temperatures reached eighty degrees at home on
Wednesday evening, forcing us into party clothes and back out for this month’s mixer. A smaller group and a “no host” bar meant
endless wine for me and plenty of food to take home. Belle found a children’s area full of
electronic learning toys and quickly cooled off. I made a few connections, including the
sister of an old friend. We came home
after dark, but still full of energy.
Belle asked to play in the community park and had fun sliding by street
lamp.
I woke up dehydrated at one AM Thursday morning from
drinking too much Zinfandel at the mixer.
I ate chilled red grapes and drank cold water to hydrate myself. Then I let Krishna back inside (Polly stayed
out in the rain.) along with some cool, fresh air. I stayed up listening to KQED and playing
computer solitaire. Belle woke up just
after four AM, in time to see the cards slide down the monitor after I won my
first game. We just stayed up, listening
to public radio and the light rain until we left for our usual Thursday food
run.
We went the shorter route to McDonald’s so I could grab
a coffee. I didn’t buy Belle a yogurt
tube because I’d filled her food tray with leftover grapes. I trusted my senses to get us to our
destination via a shortcut I had only imagined.
I felt accomplished, caffeinated and good when we arrived. I soon realized others in the crowd weren’t
nearly as happy. We walked right into a
fight, in fact, between the director and a client. Someone ushered me into an unruly line to get
a number for our grocery order. I
suddenly held number one and would be first in line for groceries.
Women in the crowd objected to me being called first. I handed over my ticket, clearly marked with
a number one, to the lovely and patient woman at check in. Another mom, left disabled from being injured
while giving birth, threw an adult tantrum in front of her preteen daughter
about me being first. I narrowly escaped
being first in line for free groceries with my life, and yet I still hold compassion
for this disabled woman. Other “friends”
who couldn’t believe I’d been called first called me dirty names to my face.
We got apples, baked goods, bananas, celery, cheese,
golden flesh sweet potatoes, hummus, naan, nectarines, onion, oranges, pears,
potatoes, rainbow trout and zucchini.
Someone made a big show of handing Belle a juice and a couple of yogurt
pouches. Unfortunately, no one noticed
those yogurt pouches had expired in July.
Belle took a couple sips before handing it back to me. We had already gone back home by then and
couldn’t do anything to change it. We
didn’t need to be any closer to that angry, ugly crowd. I guess the weak weather system only fueled
the fire.
I made orange juice (I had over twenty oranges saved
up.) and buckwheat pasta inspired by something one of the moms brought to
Tuesday’s potluck. I simmered buckwheat
pasta with the frozen zucchini slices and drained off the water. I softened onion and peppers in a fry pan and
browned ground chicken in the same pan.
I drained off the oil and added a can of tomato sauce and
seasonings. I poured the meat sauce over
the cooked pasta and zucchini and stirred in mascarpone cheese. It came out nice!
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Hidden Veggies
On Tuesday Belle and I attended a potluck at the
home of one of the moms we met at last Thursday’s beach picnic. I made sautéed eggplant in marinara sauce
(Everyone ate some!) and a homemade apple and pear sauce (No one ate any
because another mom had made the most delicious chocolate cake!). Belle seemed to like the penne pasta made
with “hidden veggies” made by the hostess.
I wound up buying two boxes of Golden Grain Hidden Veggie Small Penne
pasta later on, currently on sale at my nearest market.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Mmm. Food.
We had an exciting food filled weekend. We were walking home on Saturday when a man
driving a utility vehicle asked if we could use an eggplant. He said he worked on a farm nearby and had a
surplus. Good thing I always carry a bag
with me because he gave us lots of apples, two eggplants, green beans, hot
peppers and tiny tomatoes. I snacked on
tomatoes on the mile and a half walk home.
Belle fell asleep eating an apple, which I happily finished.
We were on our way to McDonald’s on Sunday, with
only nineteen minutes to spare for the free coffee, when I spotted the box across the street. I always stop and grab the box, no matter what it holds.
Someone living nearby periodically puts their extra “first five” or food
bank food in a cardboard box by a street lamp across the street. I swiftly pushed Belle across the street,
grabbed the cardboard box full of canned food and walked it back home without
looking through it. We still managed to
make it for coffee five minutes before breakfast ended.
Belle seemed extra clingy at McDonald’s, especially
when our friend Ellen joined us. I couldn’t
enjoy conversation with another adult because Belle wouldn’t play with the
other children. This neediness, combined
with Belle’s inability to sleep through the previous night, made me wonder if
we should skip a party happening the same afternoon. I also noticed a mystery stain on my dress
that I couldn’t remove with my limited time and resources in McDonald’s restroom. We attended the party anyway (No one noticed the stain!), and Belle
finally loosened up.
We brought home leftover fried fish and pork from
the party. Belle fell asleep holding a
candy filled goody bag. This nap allowed
me to finally sort through the box: beef
ravioli, beef stew, black beans, cream of mushroom soup, green beans, mandarin
oranges, mixed fruit, sweet peas, tomato sauce, tuna in water, vegetable beef
soup and whole peeled tomatoes in various quantities. None of
this food is certified organic, but it is all good food to have on hand. I believe in keeping a fully stocked pantry
and steadily working through it. Long
live whoever puts out this box!
Friday, September 19, 2014
Lotza free coffee and new friends
We had to leave McDonald’s Wednesday when Belle wouldn’t stop licking or touching the play structure with her mouth. We’d gone early so I could get a free coffee and Belle could play. She didn’t have any playmates as the older children were in school and I was busy on my computer. Belle had no other outlet save exploring her world with her mouth.
Belle laughed off my warnings against that
disgusting behavior. I buckled her back
into the pushchair and let her squirm. I
let her out after several minutes, only to see her try it again. I buckled Belle up for real and navigated
toward the college. Belle asked for food
and pointed toward home instead. We went home and stayed.
We went back for more free coffee on Thursday. I didn’t care how hot or humid it was for
eight thirty in the morning. We had to
either make a McDonald’s run or tear the kitchen apart. This took time away from the usual Thursday morning
time crunch. Blazing hot and pressed for
time, I walked forty minutes round trip for coffee (to go!) before walking the
thirty minutes on our food run.
Belle napped in the pushchair long enough on our
return trip home for me to put our food away and pack a picnic lunch. We walked to the beach for lunch with a moms
group. Belle met another Belle (although
I didn’t ask if she is called Belle too) at the beach. The girls were born the same year, only a day
apart. My Belle rubbed her new friend’s
back. New friend Belle shared her banana chips
and snack puffs.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Early, busy Tuesday
Belle woke me before sunrise Tuesday morning. Krishna had jumped onto my bed, waking Belle
up and forcing me bolt upright. I cursed
everyone in my house, grabbed a robe and begrudgingly started the day. I fried eggs and turkey burger patties and
warmed a bowl of leftover mashed gold and sweet potatoes. Belle made the “yucky” face and shook her
head at the food. She stood colorful
plastic popsicle sticks into half a cantaloupe rather than eat it. She turned up her nose at a yogurt. She ate a little whipped cream off a soup
spoon and called it a morning.
We were up and out early enough to meet our church
friends at McDonald’s. Belle enjoyed lemonade
and a yogurt tube. I drank a large complimentary
coffee. (McDonald’s is offering free coffee for breakfast as a special two week promotion.). Belle
wouldn’t leave my arms long enough for me to drink my coffee or maintain my
online life. I eventually gave up and
joined her in the winding play structure, where I found dirty (obviously used,
but not soiled) bandages. I alerted an
employee immediately. Let’s hope they took
care of it.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Toddler diet
Saturday’s Target run yielded gluten free chicken
nuggets and whole milk yogurt. Belle has
since eaten half a frozen nugget, a quarter of a baked nugget and about a
teaspoon of yogurt. We shared a Twix, a package of those sugar cookies you just pop on a cookie sheet and bake, a
quesadilla and a bacon and spinach salad on Monday evening. Belle liked all of that.
Healing
I am completely spent after seven nights of
spiritual cleansing work. On Monday
afternoon I found a bottle of wine with the same name as a symbol associated
with protection. I bought and drank the
wine (cheaper and cleaner than the actual symbol and its usage) while
documenting my final thoughts on the matter.
I spent Monday evening hydrating with lots of ice water.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Treats
Saturday’s food run proved more practical than romantic: five pounds of white rice, four pounds of
dried lentils, and four pounds of beef stew.
Belle got thirty ounces of raisins.
Coincidentally, I had opted against purchasing two boxes of organic
raisins on Friday because raisins weren’t necessarily needed right then.
I took the three dollars I saved by not buying
raisins to Target and bought the cats a few cans of [ beef and chicken/turkey] pate. I bought Belle gluten free chicken nuggets, whole
milk yogurt and Halloween socks. I didn’t
buy anything for myself because I didn’t need anything. I had some merlot on Friday, which was a good
treat.
Client satisfaction
I gave an intuitive tarot reading at home on
Friday. I priced the reading at half the
price of what my mentor suggested. My
client paid five dollars above asking and brought along two bags of groceries
for us, including meat and dairy. I used
some of the money I earned for canned fish, ghee and juice. I took advantage of economy sizes and
sales. I didn’t buy Belle any biscuits
because we’d gotten a large bag at Thursday’s food run. I didn’t buy myself any coffee or tea for home brewing because
I couldn’t choose from so many choices.
I just pray I gave a clear reading, with Belle climbing the table and spooning
tea from cup to cup. The key is client
satisfaction.
Monday, September 8, 2014
Festival friends
Belle stayed up well past one am, which made our
early Saturday morning food run insanely challenging. She banged her head against the wall and
screamed in protest. I quickly zipped
myself into a skirt that I paired with a designer top I’d kept since 2000, the
year I turned twenty-four. I felt
scandalized later on when another mom said her eighteen and twenty-two year old
daughters would love the top that I, nearing forty, had on.
Belle requested I read her children’s prayer book at
nap time. She asked me to read from her
children’s Bible when we finished the prayer book. I either fell asleep reading Belle the Bible
or a collection of bedtime stories. Who
remembers? I woke up to Belle sleeping
upside down. We eventually pulled it
together and walked down to a local festival.
We spent all weekend at the festival.
This is the last year I can take Belle to a festival
without spending money. I really didn’t
see anything to spend money on. I wanted
beer. Belle wanted a pony ride. We listened to my old friend’s band
instead. I caught whiffs of everyone
else’s beer and wine. I guess gone are
the days when I am just handed drinks. A
friend offered Belle a bite of his pork rib, as is if he had a choice. I had never seen Belle so excited about meat
before.
Relax at Ronald's
We met a stressed out woman and a sweet little boy
at McDonald’s the other day. The woman
looked like an older mom in sunglasses and faded black jeans. The whole energy shifted once the woman
entered the patio. An older couple noted
the energy shift immediately and didn’t linger long after finishing their
meal. I felt the tension but wouldn’t
leave because the children were having fun playing.
Belle overheard the woman and the child’s plan to
walk to a nearby park after their lunch.
Belle realized her geography and asked, “Wee?” followed by sign language
for “playing” and a finger pointed toward the park. We walked over to the other park and joined
them. Right away I noticed the woman
hovering over the child. She would
practically choreograph his play, scolding him for every misstep.
I listened as the woman made excuses for the child
to his playmates and their mothers. I
watched as she broke up basic physical play.
She actually warned the child his new friends didn’t really want to play
with him because they didn’t know him.
They weren’t his brothers. He had
to stay away. I couldn’t believe the
expectations and guidelines she had for a boy who had only recently turned
four.
I asked the woman if she had other children. I had heard her mention to another mother
that the child missed his brothers.
That’s when the woman revealed herself to be the child’s paternal
grandmother. The child and his siblings
had come from a troubled home. She told
me a story I could relate to in part. I remembered
my own early life and made a few suggestions to help the grandmother relax.
Will tarot for Tampax
I awoke Friday morning to a large box of personal
care items left on our door mat. The box
included many tampons to replace those Belle destroyed. I would have traded tarot readings for Tampax
earlier in the week. I had taken my
chances at Dollar City (sixteen regular tampons for two dollars) when no one
appeared to take me seriously.
Evidently, someone did. I found a
message from the tampon fairy later in the day that I felt called for tarot.
I juggled a hot coffee and a thirteen card tarot
reading from my table inside Ronald’s office.
My cards attracted a curious Belle and her two new playmates, a five and
a seven year old, brothers, in school uniforms.
The older boy assumed my tarot cards were playing cards and quickly
organized a game. I handed him my petite
Lenormand deck instead. All four of us
were holding a handful of cards the boy dealt, even Belle. The game had no rules.
Friday, September 5, 2014
Couscous
No fresh squeezed orange juice this week because we
only got six oranges at our usual Thursday food run. We brought home many pears though. We have a fridge full of pears. I will make more apple and pear sauce
perhaps. That will go well with the
sausage. Belle also got green grapes.
I made a nice couscous dish for dinner: warm vegetable oil, curry powder, onions,
peppers, pumpkin, vegetable broth, corn, okra and couscous. Belle ate apple and cheese Danish instead. I threw the Danish away at night’s end after
I caught Belle abusing the leftovers while seated on a potty.
Belle had several hours of outdoors play and didn’t
protest sleep. We’d followed a
McDonald’s playmate and his grandmother to a nearby park. The children spent five hours playing between
both parks. Our children attracted more
children, which made it impossible for anyone to leave the park. We had a fun day!
Thursday, September 4, 2014
McTarot
Belle and I had already spent about ninety minutes
at McDonald’s when I spotted an old friend in need of a tarot reading. We agreed she would have the reading now and owe
me actual money next week. I consented
to this since I know and see the woman and her husband often. I asked for cookies for Belle and a hot fudge
sundae for myself in the meantime. Her
husband threw in three overripe peaches he’d just bought at farmer’s market
too.
I let my friend release a fair deal of woes prior to
the reading. She even sang the praises
of another reader she’s been faithfully visiting. I learned from my friend that her reader
wants hundreds of dollars from my friend to remove a supposed curse. I suggested my friend either consult with one
of the many trained root workers I know for a second opinion or book hypnotherapy sessions with me.
We’ve been discussing hypnotherapy for years, and she has never booked a
session.
My friend’s situation has not changed much in the
five years we’ve known each other. I
sense she might be headed for change though.
She’s so enamored with her reader, and ready to spend good money to
break a curse that may exist only in the mind of her reader, that she might be
disappointed. Meanwhile, I have scripts
for many of the things she’s interested in changing. She always has so much going on though. She would need to narrow it down.
Belle endured four hours at McDonald’s in all. She played at the entrance of the play structure by day’s end. It only took her five visits to warm up to playing there. She made eyes at another mom and charmed the woman into giving her a new toy. I think the toy is a cat. She also charmed a boy in junior high into giving her a kiss through a window. I looked up in time to see them kiss, their lips only separated by glass. Alright!
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Sleepy head
Belle woke me up well before six this morning because she had to pee. I reluctantly agreed to stay awake and upright despite repeated attempts at returning to bed after everyone had peed. Belle kept pinching my face and other body parts whenever I would dare shut my eyes. I eventually got up and made ramen noodles for breakfast. Belle took a few forkfuls of food and fell right back to sleep at the bowl. She remained asleep until mid morning, thereby jinxing our play date plans. At least I got her bed before nine thirty last night!
Monday, September 1, 2014
Lentils
Belle had a full day's play yesterday and still stayed awake past one this morning. I thought I would die. In fact, I longed for it. I paced until I felt myself practically sleepwalking, and then I paced more. I made a mug of cocoa (cocoa powder, sugar and vegetable oil dissolved in milk) to share. Belle fell asleep after a few sips.
I made the best lentils today. I poured an entire kettle of hot water over a cup of lentils and let them simmer with a couple chicken bullion cubes (without MSG). Then I added a generous amount of frozen collard greens and left over savory brown rice (brown rice simmered in vegetable broth, corn kennels and cut okra). I found this dish most divine and inspired. If only Belle would eat some...
I made the best lentils today. I poured an entire kettle of hot water over a cup of lentils and let them simmer with a couple chicken bullion cubes (without MSG). Then I added a generous amount of frozen collard greens and left over savory brown rice (brown rice simmered in vegetable broth, corn kennels and cut okra). I found this dish most divine and inspired. If only Belle would eat some...
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