Daddy-Daughter(s) Date

Last week Ed took Hazel and Ginger on their first official Daddy-daughter date. It was the sweetest thing you could imagine.

Sometime last winter we borrowed the movie "Mary Poppins" from the library. I thought the girls might like the music, didn't know if they could follow the story. Well, they LOVED it. I had to sit through it a few times answering their questions. Then, once they had the gist, and knew when the "scary parts" were coming up (like Michael and the mean men at the bank), they could watch on their own. And watch they did. We had it from the library so much that we finally bought the DVD for Hazel's birthday, plus this cute Mary Poppins doll. It suffices to say, we're fans.

So when I heard "Mary Poppins" the Broadway musical was coming to D.C., at the Kennedy Center, this summer, I took notice. I thought it through. We would have a new baby. Ginger would be just shy of 3 1/2. I bought three tickets and decided we would figure it out when the time came. We thought if Ginger couldn't stay up late enough, or sit through it, Hazel could take a friend instead. But in the end it would have just been cruel to take Hazel and not Ginger.

So last Friday I made sure they both took good afternoon naps. When they woke up they put on their best Sunday dresses. I unearthed my curling iron, which I honestly don't think I've used since my wedding nine years ago. The girls had no idea what it was so I had to explain it, and once I started curling their hair I remembered how inept I am at it, and why it had gone so long unused. I didn't even have any hairspray in the house to do it right, but it was the process that was fun. Here are the before-and-afters:Ed came home early to pick them up. He took them to dinner at the Kennedy Center Cafe before the show, where they shared prime rib, vegetables and chocolate pudding, with typically overpriced Mary Poppins souvenier cups of water. Then they took their seats.I got Ed's report of the evening first, so I would be able to make sense of the jumbling explanations the girls gave me all the next day.

"And there was a bad nanny in this one, and she went in a cage!" (Apparently the story is quite different in the stage show.)

"And Mom, there was no Mom in this one!" (Ginger had a hard time distinguishing Mrs. Banks from some of the other women in the play.)

"Mom, what's a butler?" (No Ellen, a butler instead.)

Despite a few bathroom emergencies, the long line for overpriced concessions at intermission, and a very tired Ginger who didn't want to stay for the second act (Ed persuaded her with "Step In Time", which is her favorite song and hadn't come on yet), it was a fabulous evening. I admit, I was jealous. But I also really wanted Ed to have this experience with the girls, and vice versa. I was asleep when they got home, but they came in with whispery giggles to kiss me goodnight. I hope they know they're the luckiest girls in the world.

So, what did Poppy and I do while they were gone? Got a salad from Wendy's for dinner (they have all new ones, have you seen?) Watched my recorded shows from the week - Top Chef and Burn Notice. I got Poppy down to sleep a few times but she kept waking up crying. I suspect she knew something was up - the house was too still and she missed her sisters. I didn't mind; I was a little lonely myself, so she stayed up with me and watched Michael Westin kick some drug dealer's butt. So satisfying. And finally, once she conked out on the couch next to me, I moved her to bed and went there myself. For me these days, nothing beats climbing into bed and falling immediately to sleep. Not even a spoonful of sugar.

Happy 4th of July!

Tanzania 2010

My sister Tona, her husband Don, and their four kids have just gone to Tanzania for the summer. But it's not all safari and souvenirs for them. Don is an orthopaedic surgeon and will be working (volunteering) at the Kiliminjaro Christian Medical Center. Their oldest son, a newly certified EMT, will be shadowing Don at the hospital, and the rest of them (Tona and kids age 15, 13 and 10) will be looking for volunteer opportunities in the area as well.

They have done similiar service in Bhutan at least three times, but wanted this time to try a new place. Tona, a published historian, is writing a blog to document their experience there, and I invite you to follow along the adventure at Tanzania 2010. I recommend starting with this post: Whys and Wherefores. Then you can catch up chronologically or just pick up snippets.

The other night I caught the last 2/3 of Out of Africa (wow, were Meryl and Robert young!) Obviously I know it will not be like that where they are, but from the movies I've seen, books I've read, and people I've known that have been to, or are from, Africa, it confuses, amazes and fascinates me. I'm thrilled to have this little vicarious experience this summer while in my real life I can barely get three kids out, or back in, the house each day.

To Announce or Not to Announce

There are things that matter and there are things that don't matter. And guess which ones I spend most of my time fretting over.

Ever since I was pregnant with Hazel, 5 1/2 years ago, I have been admiring baby announcements. I pore and scroll through page after page on websites like Shutterfly, Tiny Prints, Metro Baby Cards, etc. I drool over graphic designs. I jot item numbers and font names, then lose the papers they are written on. Time passes. The baby gets older. Vitals are shared with friends and family by email, and this time around, blog. I never have the right picture. (And any cute ones already get posted on the blog.) My camera sucks, I need a new one. More time passes. And then the window is gone. The baby is big. And anyone who cares knew long ago that she was born. Next time, I tell myself. I'll do them next time. When I have more time. A better camera. More money.

I KNOW birth announcements don't matter. Or do they? They are expensive. Frivolous. Redundant. And beautiful.

So which is it? Are they worth it? When is too late? Who do they go to? How perfect does the picture have to be?

Why exactly can't I shake my unfulfilled obsession with birth announcements? Do I just like looking at them or would I actually feel better if I got some? These are the questions.

Thai-Style Steak Salad

I used to post recipes on here more often. But with the launch of a separate baking blog, there has not been much need. However, I do actually cook real food sometimes. And sometimes it's even good. Sometimes it is so amazingly outstanding, granted, rarely, but sometimes, that I make it over and over, take a picture, and post it.

If you're wondering what a new hungry nursing mom craves, it's fresh vegetables, red meat and lots of flavor. Which makes this salad my totally ideal meal. It's also nice that it's cool for the summer, quick to make (30-40 minutes), can be adapted for picky kids*, and does not even slightly resemble anything else in my usual rotation. And believe me, you do not need to be a fan of Thai food. I like Thai OK, but it's not my favorite; this salad has some Asian flavors for sure, but in my opinion it is in a category all its own. Love it!

And in case my endorsement isn't enough, this comes from America's Test Kitchen, so you know it is going to be fabulous. If you are making it, and taste the sauce in step 2 and think you don't like it, hold on. It is not until the final moment, when the onion, steak, vegetables, cilantro, mint, dressing and peanuts all come together that you have the masterpiece. I could eat the whole thing myself.Thai-Style Steak Salad
1 1/4 lbs flank steak, trimmed of excess fat
Salt and ground black pepper
1 tsp peanut or vegetable oil
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup lime juice from 3 limes
4 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled and seeded (cut in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds with a spoon) and sliced thin - I just use the whole cucumber
1/2 small red onion, sliced thin
2 T packed fresh cilantro leaves, torn
2 T packed fresh mint leaves, torn
1 head Bibb or Boston lettuce, washed, dried and torn into pieces (4 cups lightly packed)
1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts, chopped coarse (I use salted)

1. Pat the steak dry with paper towels, then season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the steak and cook until well browned on both sides, about 10 minutes, reducing the heat to medium if the pan begins to scorch or smoke. Transfer the steak to a plate and let rest for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, whisk the fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar and pepper flakes together in a small bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Pour half of the dressing into a large bowl and set aside.

3. Slice the steak crosswise on the bias into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Cut the longer slices in half, into roughly 3-inch lengths. Add the steak to the small bowl of dressing, toss to coat, and let marinate for 5 minutes.

4. Remove the steak from the dressing and discard the marinade. Toss the steak, cucumber, onion, cilantro and mint with the reserved dressing in the large bowl. Arrange the lettuce on a large serving platter or individual plates. Spoon the steak and vegetables over the lettuce. Drizzle the salad with any dressing left in the bowl and sprinkle with peanuts before serving.

*For picky kids who are anti-sauce or don't like their foods touching each other, I just leave some steak out of the marinade, and leave some lettuce and cucumbers without dressing. Plain steak and salad for them.

Recipe from The Best Light Recipe by America's Test Kitchen

Look Who's Two Months Old

And finally smiling for the camera...

And I would like to publicly thank her for the 5, 6, and yes, once even 7.5 hours of sleep stretches she has graced us with. Beloved, beloved daughter.

Poppy's Quilt

My mom is a supreme quilter extraordinaire. She has been quilting for as long as I can remember, though I think she picked it up in the 80's sometime. It is truly an art and a craft in the most skillful and talented sense of the words. Her house is hung and stacked with quilts; a napper never wants for cover there. Throughout our childhood, the beds were always covered with handmade quilts. When we each married, a wedding quilt was made. Each grandchild has a totally unique custom baby quilt. And now, as many of the grandchildren are getting older, Mom is working her way down the line making "teenage" twin size quilts for each of them, carefully consulting and working with each to make exactly what they like.

Likewise, each baby quilt has had input from the parents. For Hazel's I wanted a calming aquatic theme; it is gorgeous. For Ginger's, we went with a much-appliqued NYC park scene (since that was our life when she was born.) For each, I consulted with Mom on the phone since we did not live close. However, this time around we live 30 minutes away so the collaboration was more intense.

For Poppy, we chose a pattern I found years ago in one of her quilt magazines; it's called "I Remember Aprons" and I LOVE it. Mainly because it's totally cute but also because it allows a lot of variety and doesn't tie me down to any particular color scheme; I could just pick any fabrics I liked. As you can see, I liked quite a few.
I wanted a modern-vintage meld so we chose some of Mom's authentic feedsacks and vintage prints as well as some new quarters from the local quilt shop. We sorted, narrowed down, sorted again and rearranged the fabrics, and later the blocks, on several collaborative visits over the several months before Poppy was born. Mom really wanted to finish it before she was born and was very patient as I waffled on what to use for the border and backing, finally deciding on the outrageously festive polka dots and, for the back, a rockin' Amy Butler print named, what else?, "Fresh Poppies."
Even though I had chosen the pattern and fabrics, and knew basically what the quilt would look like, I was still blown away - totally flabbergasted - by the detail Mom put into each block. Here are a few close-ups - aren't they amazing?



Poppy is currently sleeping in our room, but in the next few months as she sleeps longer stretches we will move her into her own room, and this baby will hang center stage above her crib so she can stare at it in amazement as I do. As you are doing. As we all do.

Happy Alfred Einhorn Day

This tooth has been bothering me for awhile and I finally called the dentist about it. After asking me some questions, he referred me to an endodontist, who I saw this morning.

Endodontists specialize in root canals and other procedures involving tooth pulp and root tissues. And let me tell you, those guys DO NOT mess around. I thought I was going in for a consultation and assessment. He took an x-ray, talked to me for a minute, and BAM!, we were doing a root canal.

He shot me up generously with novocaine and went to check on the at-least-two-other patients he was working on simultaneously while his assistant prepped me with a latex shield, tooth isolator thingy, and rubber wedge to hold my mouth open. Then he went to work and it was over in what seemed like no time.

While I lay there pondering the history of dentistry, trying to ignore the burning smell and drill sounds coming from inside my mouth, I was overwhelmed with gratitude to live in an age of analgesics. The tooth pain before had been horrible, so much so that I had started taking my leftover C-section prescription painkillers for it. It was impossible to imagine the pain of what he was doing to the tooth now, without something blocking it. I vowed to come home and learn the name of the saint that invented novocaine. It's Alfred Einhorn (1856-1917), a German chemist. Words can't say how much I appreciate him.

So I've decided to take action. I hereby declare June 10 Alfred Einhorn Day. Traditional celebrations include eating soup and milkshakes, visiting or at least hugging a dentist, and a lot of lopsided smiling. Happy Alfred Einhorn Day to you all.

Elusive Smiles

Poppy has started smiling, but ARGH!, will she do it for the camera? Not a chance. We keep trying, trusting that someday we'll catch it. In the meantime, here are a few attempts:
(Of course the swing was moving...)

Here's what we usually get when she sees the camera:

But sometimes we get some cuteness before the crying starts. She may not be smiling, but she is still. SO. CUTE.


(If this pic doesn't sell the booties, I don't know what could.)

Disco Mom's New Mom First Month Essentials

Poppy is one month old already. I'm pretty sure that was the fastest month of my life. It's all a blur. But I'm not crying every day anymore. We have gotten out of the house a few times, me and the three girls. I've even cooked a dinner or two, and here I am blogging. Functionality is rising incrementally.

Here is what has gotten me through the month:

The swaddle (it's an art form), the Amby, and the white noise cd

The glider and the Boppy
The Itzbeen (my new fav baby gadget)
and Diapers.com (love it - save $10 with my referral code DISCOMOM)

The bouncy seats (one on each level, natch)
Cable
(so many cartoons,
so many home renovation shows,
so many Office reruns...)
And most importantly, the DAD! (Love you, Eddie)

A Mother's Day Miracle

(Only one of us is crying...)