Bread Machines

Anyone know if there is a teflon-free version of a bread machine? I want one! Can you point me in the general direction??

Feeling the love

It's the night before Christmas and I actually don't feel too bad!

The house is relatively free of sickness, thankfully. We are rested, fed, and not too cranky. There are gifts for the kids and a tree too. We celebrated the Solstice with sun art and cookies, and Chris is planning something to gift me....

I hate the gimme aspect of our dominant culture, but I love giving personal, thoughtful gifts to friends and family. There is little to compare to the feeling of receiving something you love and/or really need from someone who cares about you and your well-being. So, this year I feel like total crap that I couldn't get anything together for my partner. Nothing! It's like my brain went on overload thinking of things to do with and for the kids, getting a gift together for my parents, sharing the love with everyone else. So poor Tata - he'll have to settle for just me.

I will be thinking about replenishing things I can do for my man, and maybe won't be posting any of that on here. If it's not x-rated, you'll get to hear about it.

Merry Christmas, and thanks to everyone who has shared a little bit of themselves with us this year. I really am feeling the love.

still....

And now Tata and I are sick. Ugh! Let's hope this is the end of it for this season.

I guess then it's full-assed...

I've got my homemade hot cocoa/cinnamon, piece of paenut butter toast, a little time without children, and yet still am in need of some serious sleep, but it's totally chill compared to where we've been recently.

Pearl is so much better! After the awful, awful time of vomiting blood every 15-20 minutes, then vomiting blood less often, then only vomiting breastmilk once an hour, then only vomiting once again, she is simply, grandly, gleefully recovering her strength and appetite. Her stomach lining was so irritated it bled a lot, and all the bleeding was evidently old blood produced from the irritation of the mystery virus. No fever, no diarrhea, no other symptoms but horrible vomiting and the lethargy of the very sick.

I got a bit of sleep last night, as did Pearl. The relief after sickness is nothing to be trifled with. What is it about internal bleeding that just puts me into a panic? I suppose it's the hidden nature of disease/injury. If I can't see it, I can't fix it. And since she can't describe it I just have to go on what I see and sense with her. Ugh. At least Chris is here, and is wonderful. No one runs a sick house like Tata! All the pukey stuff washed, beds for him and Lola set up in another room from Pearl and me, breakfast on demand, coffee made in the morning, whatever we need he does it. For everyone. Without grumbling, even. While I hold a sick, sleepy baby that can't be moved and needs to be held in order to sleep at all. Everyone deserves a man like him, even us.

In other news, I continue to wonder how the hell I'm gonna finish mama. So much is done, but so much keeps getting in the way of completion. I know it will come out, but it's like moving mountains this time. I've already done some rethinking about the edge of hella fun and want to focus on things that really are fun. I think it's healthy and funny and something I might need a little practice writing. But don't worry - I can't escape my own personality and there will definitely be a bit of the Dark Side in this issue.

Finally saw The Life Aquatic and dang if I don't love it. Bill Murray doing his little hip gyrating is perhaps the funniest thing I've seen in half a year. Maybe a whole year, I don't know. It made me want to compile a list of movies I'd like to own - which will be forthcoming here and probably in mama.

Thanks for everyone's concern with Pearl and her super-intense sickness. She doesn't do anything half-assed.

puke city

Pukey baby, complete with unidentified gastrointeritis and a late-nighht trip to the ER for the amount of blood in her vomit.

Babe is OK but miserable. I could use a little sleep.

blah blah blah helping blah blah blah

Pearl has decided to start using the potty to pee! Hooray! It also means dealing with her intense disappointment when we can't make it to the potty for one reason or another. After a sibling at the extreme other end of the potty learning spectrum, call me shocked.

Have you checked out Mothering's Holiday Helper thing yet? Huh? There are soooo many families in need this year. I'm sure you know of some kid who would like to send some of their gently used stuff to another kid who really needs it, no? What about some mama-sized clothes in good condition? Work clothes? Socks? If so, then all you gotta pay for is the shipping. Email me if you want more info about how it works, because I am trying to find as many helpers as possible for all of the Families in Need this year.

And hey, if you owe me a letter or pictures of your kids or something, do it now! I need to hear from you.

AND Lola officially likes Star Wars. Woo hoo everyone, bring out the popcorn.

And do check out David Sedaris, if you haven't already. His writing makes me laugh 'til I cry. Almost as much as when Chris was recently overheard saying "Now go upstairs and start pooping!!"

There is light, friends. I can see it. And I think next year will have big changes for us all.

mama is coming... keep checking in!