Off to Utah

We're headed to Utah tomorrow. A 14-hour drive and just over 3 weeks with a baby ... are we nuts? Maybe. But we're looking forward to it all the same (we'll see what I'm saying after it's all done!)

Know any good road trip games? How about secrets to keeping a baby happy in the car for a whole day?

Reflections

So I've been having a hard time thinking up things to blog about lately. I don't know what my deal is, but I sit down with the urge to blog and then cannot come up with anything interesting to write ... maybe this is what they call writer's block?

Anyway, in an effort to break through the block I'm going to break out of my "comfort zone" (my mom lectured me for years about the value of doing that, and I try to trust my mother's judgment) and go for some personal reflections. Here goes...

As I get older, I increasingly feel the need to make deeper connections with people - to want to feel like I've touched or been touched by my interactions with others. I guess I see this as the foundation of solid, deep friendships, which is something I've never felt very confident about. I'm fine with meeting people, being friendly, and having a number and variety of "acquaintances," but I feel like my interactions stay right there and rarely deepen into what I would call close "friendships." I'm not really sure what to do about it, but there you have it - one of the burning questions of my life ... how does one move from "acquaintance" to "friend"? Any ideas out there?

Okay, enough therapy (this from the psychologist breaking out of her comfort zone) ... thanks for listening, Blogworld, I'm done now.

(p.s. in case you're wondering ... the picture has nothing much to do with this post, but since I see every post as another opportunity to sneak in a picture of my favorite baby in the world, there it is!)

Summer Fun!

Yay! Summer has started, which means I get a few weeks of freedom to be home and be mommy. There are many things I love about my work, but this has got to be one of the biggest!

So, summer's start has also coincided with James' 6-month birthday, which means the start of solid foods. I decided that living in an area with so much accessible fresh produce that we should try making our own baby food for James. We've barely begun to skim the surface of possible baby puree "recipes," but I'm impressed so far by how simple it is. I love knowing exactly what's going into his food, and I'm surprised by how much fun I'm actually having with the whole process (I think it feeds my creative cooking side - I actually even went so far as to by a baby puree recipe book).

Basically, here's what we do:
1. Cut up the fruit/veggies.
2. Steam them.
3. Puree them (we use our food processor).
4. Put the pureed mush into an ice cube tray prepped with a slight bit of non-stick cooking spray.
5. Freeze.
6. Pop out into freezer bag (labeled with food and date) to save until ready to eat.

Then, when we're ready to eat, I just take out an ice brick of the day's treat, let it thaw or microwave it for about 30 seconds, and voila - a lovely mash for James to enjoy. We've started with the basics, his favorites so far are sweet potatoes and carrots (with a tiny pinch of cinnamon) and peas. He is not a fan of apples ... go figure. But I can't wait until we graduate to more "gourmet" recipes like "chicken with sweet potato and apple" or "tomato, cauliflower, and carrot with basil" or "apricot, apple, pear, and vanilla" ... I think I'll want to start having what he's having!

Happy Fathers' Day

To the Fathers in my life:

• To my husband and the amazing father of my son: Thanks for taking a fully participatory, lovingly active role in raising our baby boy. I love the look in his eyes when he looks up and smiles at his daddy.

• To my Dad: Thanks for being a listening ear so many times that I've needed one. Thanks for being in tune with the Spirit to know those moments to call and lift my spirits.

• To my Father-in-law: Thanks for being a bright light of positive energy that makes me feel such a welcome part of your family. Thanks for teaching so many great skills to your son.

• To my Eternal Father: Thank you for all the blessings that fill my life with so much joy.
  

Sitting Pretty

James is learning lots of new tricks these days, and I can't help but post a picture of one of his latest.

Happy Mothers' Day!

I know many amazing mothers, and I am grateful for the example and influence of all of the women who take a "motherly" role in my life. But, I am especially grateful this Mothers' Day for two mothers in particular.

My own mother is my model - the person I think of in almost every respect when I think of the mother I want to be. She has modeled to me how to be patient when your children perhaps don't deserve patience, how to sacrifice and put your children's needs first, how to smile through the hard times, and how to make everyone around you feel like the most important person in the world. Most of all I have learned from my mom that unconditional love is the most important trait that I want to cultivate as a mother, and my greatest desire is to have a heart as big as my mom's.

The other amazing mother in my life is my mother-in-law. She has raised an amazing group of children, and I am eternally grateful to her for all of the wonderful qualities that she instilled into (at least) one of her sons. She is an example to me of hard work, of appreciating a job well done, and of focusing on those things that are most important in life.

This year, especially, I have become aware of the many sacrifices that go into being a mother, most of which stem from your enormous wish that you can give this child in your arms all that he deserves. In those moments when you want to be the best mother you can but have absolutely no idea how, I look to and am grateful for the examples I have been given from these amazing mothers.

Do you believe in Fates?

I was lucky enough last week to have a birthday, the only downside of which turns out to be that my drivers license expired, which means that today I had the lovely opportunity to pack up James to head off to the DMV.

The Department of Motor Vehicles is one of those places where, I am convinced, the Fates work against you. I don't know how they do it, and I don't believe that they work against me only, but I am convinced that they delight in thwarting your every move to make it through with your patience intact.

Upon first arrival at the DMV, I pull into the too-small parking lot at nearly the same time as at least 6 other cars. All of us begin circling around looking for spots -- of which there are none. After searching for a solid 10 minutes I finally find a spot at the furthest end of the lot. As I hulk my 50-lb carseat with baby and diaper bag in tow, the line of cars looking for parking has disappeared and I, of course, pass 3 open spots on my way into the building.

Once inside the DMV the first thing I notice is the long line of people waiting for a number. I, luckily, made an appointment "to save time," but alas the line for people with appointments (that currently ends right at the door) is even longer than the line for people without appointments. As I stand, still carrying the 50 pounds of baby and carseat, I get to watch the convenient monitor that tells you how long the wait time is at every nearby DMV ... all of which are, of course, shorter than the one I'm at.

Once I receive my number I then get to wait ... and wait ... and wait. About 40 minutes later, the number right before mine comes up. I get excited and wait for them to shortly call my number. Another 5-7 minutes goes by before finally my number is called, followed shortly by the 5 numbers after mine. As I pass the original line (which had been all the way to the door) I can't help but notice that it is now empty. After some review, my paperwork luckily passes inspection, I pay my fee and am told to move to Line C ... which currently ends at the back wall. I lug the carseat (now filled with the diaper bag because the baby is now in my arms) to the end of the line, and every 30 seconds I move it another 2 feet forward with the line.

When I get to the front of Line C, they take my picture and give me my test. With sleeping baby in one arm, I take the test (carefully, so that I don't fail and have to come back again to the DMV), and then move to Line D, which reaches only halfway to the back wall (though is now longer than Line C that now consists of about 5 people). But, courage! I am nearly to the end of my trek, and I patiently try to smile back at the sympathetic looks people give me when they see my adorable sleeping baby in my arms and think optimistically of how many muscles I am building by carrying around 20 pounds of dead weight for over an hour ... instead of thinking about how quiet the DMV has suddenly gotten, how short all of the lines I have already gone through are, and why didn't I come at 11:30 in the morning rather than 9:55?

And so, Fates, you may have won a few small battles along the way, but in the end my quest was successful, I am now a licensed California driver, and I don't have to return to your pernicious playground for another 5 years!