Due date is 27 APR 2014.

Cute graphic I used for poll background here.

LT Stephen Oswald
COMUSNAVCENT
PSC 901 Box 50
FPO AE 09805-0001

Lots of love,
Team Oswald

Today, with a head full of suds, I heard the now familiar sliding of the shower door signifying that I, indeed, was no longer alone.  With my vision impaired, my sense of hearing is at top levels. 

“All wet?” The words came from a mostly nekked baby, who would gladly climb into the tub with or without invitation.  “Yes, Marin, I am all wet.”  Parenting is all too often playing your part in the junior edition of Captain Obvious.  “Marin all wet.”  She’s catching all the spray that usually lands on the floor while the door is wide open.  Like those showers in a hotel bathroom from that gap where the curtain doesn’t meet the shower on one or both sides, no matter how you try to make it work.

“Mama very wet?”  Captain Obvious, jr. strikes again.  “I guess.”  At this point I resign to the fact that the enjoyable part of the shower is over:  the alone, relaxing bit.  *sigh*  “Marin very wet?”  Not yet.  But you are ABOUT to be.

As I fling water over and over again at my curious 20 m/o with incredible comedic timing, I remember my gratitude.  Having a baby will change your life.  It’ll cut your shower time in half.  If you’re like me, you’ll just use shampoo for everything to save time.  Or put Dr. Bronner’s 21-uses soap to the test.  Or maybe you’ll class it up and get one of those all-in-one fancy-schmancy Lush bars that look like a lime slice.  Whichever the case, the ending is the same…showers are simple parent luxuries.  Enjoy them if (and for as long as) you can.

Some days it goes like this…

*whining*
Me:  Are you hungry, Marin?
Marin:  No.
Me:  Do you want a cracker, Marin?
Marin:  No.
Me:  It’s dinner time.  Do you want dinner?
Marin:  Din-ner.
Me:  Yes, let’s get your dinner ready.
Marin:  No red-dy.
Me:  No dinner?
Marin:  No.
*whining continues*
Me:  Use your words, Marin.  What do you want?
Marin:  No.
Me:  Super.
Marin:  Ooh-per.

Sometimes I even list off foods to see if one will entice her.  Would you like…Chicken? Applesauce? Cheese? Yogurt? Crackers? Green beans? Soup? Pasta?  No times eight.  Then you put her in front of the food and she’s wolfing it down.  Well, until she remembers that she has gone without a “no” for at least 300 seconds and decides “No more.”  I confirm that she is indeed done and wants nothing to do with the rest of the cheese on her tray and pull it away.  I get 6″ away before I hear “Cheeeeese…!” and she paws for the chunks of cheddar, moments later successfully stuffing them all in her chipmunk cheeks.

I’m not fond of being told “no” all the time.  Especially to statements that called for no answer to begin with.  “Let’s get your clothes on”, I’ll say in the morning.  “NO!  Nek-ked!!” she shrieks while running (you guessed it) nekked down the hallway.

The worst times for me are when she declines hugs.  “Marin, may I have a hug?” I ask anticipating a sweet little embrace.  “NO!  No hug!!” I hear as she finds something better to play with.  Oh, this seems trivial to you?  Just wait until your little girl who has been unscrupulously dishing out hugs left & right chooses a stuffed, white kitten over you.  Seriously?  No hug for mum??  Mummy has just been downgrading by a stuffed. white. KITTEN???  To add insult to injury, she gives the kitten a series of hugs right on the spot.  Utter rejection.  (Mummy has to go cry in the kitchen now.)  To her, it’s the act of having a solid answer to lay down.  “No” is the end-all to questions and easy enough to use rapid fire on any humanoid.  No, no, no.  She’s become a professional naysayer.  I know it’s just a phase, but it really rides my last nerve.  This kid can say “No, mama.  You no touch.” but not “I want n.”  Deep breaths.  This too shall pass.  Please let it be soon.

Fusilli was properly introduced to us by Old Friends Ristorante & Pizzeria c/o the Bacoli neighbourhood of Naples, Italy.  Even as I typed that last sentence, I felt a pang in my heart: for Bella Napoli, for Old Friends, and for all the friends/families that shared that same restaurant with us during our three years there.  Also felt a deep longing for their molten chocolate cake, served with a spoon shaped like a miniature snow shovel.  One of my favourite dishes to order was their salmon fusilli primi…and their bruschette platter…and their bistec served by the gram…and their eggplant parmigiana.  Annnd this post is getting ridiculous because I’m not sure I’ll make it past reminiscing to get on to the rest.

Okay, so *ehem*, the dinner that I made…

I bought this 100% organic, whole wheat pasta from Whole Foods Market.  I kid around and call the store Whole Paycheck, but mainly that’s because shopping there can leave you spellbound with $116 of groceries in your cart when you came in needing solely lemons and cheese.  What can I say?  It’s a magical place.  First world problems.   The reality is that the pricing is quite competitive and there are good deals to be had–this time on pasta.  I bought the fusilli as a 2/$5 deal a few weeks back.  Made the bag of ziti pasta with vodka cream marinara sauce and had the fusilli waiting in the pantry ever since.  This is the short, spring-like fusilli…not the long ones.  Bah.  Here I am talking about fusilli specifics, and I cannot remember if it was fusilli corti bucati (short, hollow) or if it was straight-up, solid fusilli.  I also don’t remember the brand of the pasta.  All I remember was that it was from Italy (Calabria), it was made from whole wheat, and it was on sale.  (Update:  I checked the recycling bin under our sink to find out, only to see that Stephen had emptied it into the larger one outside for pick-up tomorrow.  As dedicated as I am to this blog, please pardon me for not wanting to rummage through our unmentionables in our bin, in the dark.  I’ll just check during my next shopping trip.)

Also had this vacuum-sealed box of smoked salmon from last-last Christmas on-hand.  Yes, you heard that correctly.  We received the salmon as a gift while at an Oswald Family Reunion and brought it back to Italy (we mailed it to ourselves), then brought it with us to America and finally found the time/occasion to use it.  (Thanks, Kate & Theo McGee!  ‘Twas delicious!)  My parents are fond of the stuff and in the past have used it in assorted ways (i.e. mixing the salmon with cream cheese to be eaten atop crackers).  This was a 6 oz. box, so I was not certain what I would do with it until I held that bag of fusilli in my hand at the supermarket.

So many back stories tonight.  So what DID I do with it, you ask?

I boiled water in my largest pot (6-qt.) and when it was at a rolling boil, I added 1/8 c. of salt & then the pasta to the water.  I covered the pot and let it come back to a boil and THEN began my 11 minute timer with the lid off.  This is the secret to amazing pasta, as told to me by a very wise Italian restauranteur (that tip and another about using some of the pasta water to extend a sauce).  Also, don’t fool around when the pasta is cooking.  Your pasta should not wait for you to get your act together!

While the pasta did its thing, I cut open the package and let the salmon and all the oil/juices fall into a skillet.  Turned the gas range on MED/MED-HIGH and got that salmon heating up.  Grabbed some organic half-&half from the fridge & used the rest of the carton (about 4-6 oz.).  Put 1.5 T of corn starch in a ramekin and stirred in a bit of cold water until it was smooth, then stirred that into the salmon mix.  I brought that to a low boil and let it bubble away for a few minutes.  I got my colander out and put that into place in the sink while I supervised the salmon.  Once it looked hot and thick, I turned off the gas.  Remember that the smoked salmon was already cooked before it ever touched the pan.  The heat was all about combining the cream and fish.  I did a little taste test and added in some pepper.  The pasta will have picked up the salt from the water it is cooking in, so I was waiting on adding any more (and anticipating that I would not need any extra anyway).  I did add dry tarragon to the sauce to give it some depth.

Once the timer went off, I removed the pasta from the heat and drained it in a colander. A few shakes to get the water out and into the skillet of salmon-y goodness.  I married the two and plated it immediately.  Served with garlic bread.  Verdict?  The whole wheat pasta definitely muted the salmon flavour, but it was still exceptionally tasty.  More paht-sta, peas.

* There are no photos of this dish, either being made or fully assembled.  It was devoured by all without even one shutter click.  I’ll have to make it again for photos…or you just trust me and make it yourself!

Questionable fusilli research from here.

I take advantage of the library to its fullest.  Raise your hand if you currently have 26 items checked out & 10 in an on-hold list?  (hand high in the air)  Granted that six of them are DVDs that Stephen picked out, one is an arctic exploration book also for Stephen, & one is a children’s book for Marin…but still, my local library card is seeing some serious action.  I appreciate being able to check out books that are on my Amazon wish list before I commit to bringing them permanently into our home and being able to keep our bookshelves clear while surprising Marin with a new bedtime book at free will.  And our fabulous book house lets you keep all items for two weeks–doesn’t matter which media type!  Plus we can renew online rather than walk the two blocks to do it in-person, there are no charges for on-hold requests (take that, Penfield library!–that charges per item to hold/transfer), & I receive an e-mail when books are ready or two days from being due.  It feels like no work for all the pleasure.  In the day of owning a book over borrowing or the download-and-delete fever, it feels special to be privileged to have these services on tap.  Please consider supporting your local library even if it is by doing nothing more than patronising their services and saying “thank you” at the door.  I have some books bound for library donation.  Maybe I’ll do one better and write the PG library into my will as a “So long and thanks for all the books.”

Currently checked-out:
The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living  (His Holiness the Dalai Lama & H.C. Cutler, M.D.)
The Case for Make Believe : Saving Play in a Commercialized World (Linn)
The Philosophical Baby: What Children’s Minds Tell Us About Truth, Love, & the Meaning of Life  (Gopnik)
Handmade Home: Simple Ways to Repurpose Old Materials into New Family Treasures  (Soule)
Yoga for Depression: A Compassionate Guide to Relieve Suffering Through Yoga  (Weintraub)
Rudolf Steiner: An Introduction to His Life and Work  (Lachman)
Teach Your Child to Sleep: Solving Sleep Problems from Newborn through Childhood  (Millpond Children’s Sleep Clinic)
Seven Times the Sun: Guiding Your Child Through the Rhythms of the Day  (Darian)
Across the Top of the World: The Quest for the Northwest Passage  (Delgado)
The Nursery Collection  (S. Hughes)

Planes, Trains, & Automobiles DVD
Pleasantville DVD
The Botany of Desire DVD
The Insider DVD
The Bone Collector DVD
Ben-Hur DVD
Easy A DVD
Collateral DVD

Stars: Set Yourself on Fire CD
Iron & Wine: The Shepherd’s Dog CD
Once (soundtrack) CD
Edith Piaf: The Voice of the Sparrow CD
Imogen Heap: Speak for Yourself CD
Smashing Pumpkins: Zeitgeist CD
Ellie Goulding: Lights CD
Wilco (self-titled) CD

Anyone else reading three books at the same time or have eight movies to watch over the next two weeks?  Anyone else reading parenting books suggesting setting up a “blessing bowl”??

What is going on with a kid’s right to live without midnight eyes?  [Midnight eyes (n):  The state of feeling that your eyes are about to burn out from overuse.  Commonly experienced by college students, insomniacs, & internet junkies.]  Yes, I just made that term up.  I mean I didn’t get into daily computer use until college; up until then it was Computer Lab Days once every other week in elementary school (Oregon Trail FTW) & reports on my dad’s Apple 2E.  I remember modest game play in the form of Commodore-64 & Atari at home, GameBoy & NES in junior high, & SNES during high school.  Even internet browsing seemed more of a plain activity than a major part of life.  It was AOL or nothing back in high school and college for me, and it was either “You’ve Got Mail” or you didn’t.  Simple as that.  Now it’s checking emails interspersed between all those ads, blog posts, and updates.  It’s e-mails sent to you by friends, family, your local coffee shop, your favourite band, or Bed Bath & Beyond.  Yikes.  And that’s not even going into the duplication of that scenario on your social network(s) of choice -OR- the potential for instant messaging, video chats, or texts.  I’m getting midnight brain just thinking about all the ways I am available to The Matrix.  No wonder I’m stressing how to spare my baby girl’s fwresh wittle eyes.  (She’s currently propped up against my shoulder asleep and getting these rays while.she.sleeps.  Just loverly.)

We’ve been careful about what toys she has in her arsenal.  [Fifteen objects of cloth, wood, rubber, and minimal BPA-free plastic with which to gnaw, bang, and slobber through her first eight months.]  We’ve tried to introduce her to new people, sights, and food while limiting toxins, junk food, and dangers.  So why not care about her exposure to can’t-be-good-for-her electronic time?

Stephen & I have even gone so far as considering ditching the television all together.  No more video games, TV shows, or movies.  That certainly would help me put a dent in my book list much faster.  And I do seem to watch TV shows & movies on my laptop more than from the big ol’ TV set in our living room anyhow.  I mainly turn it on to have some company around the house.  Marin is cute, but not much of a conversationalist yet (unless you consider mum-ma-mum-mum intellectual stimulation).  Hmmm…something to consider.  (It’s still in the consideration stage.)

To add to the cause, the AFN (American Forces Network) that we have out here in Italy is not quite my taste in broadcast variety.  Aside from a few cooking shows (love me some Barefoot Contessa) and Glee (which I always seem to miss & have to watch online), it’s either sports or news.  I got fed up with watching hockey either in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning.  It’s not the same over oatmeal, I guarantee it.  So I have sought out entertainment online to keep up with talked-about shows on TV & movies (Thank you, Project Free TV!) and have become intrigued in the show Grimm.  It’s a police action-drama slash fantasy about modern-day happenings with a fairytale-come-true twist.  I’d blame Twilight for all the sudden influx of legend-turned-real fantasy media, but I kinda like the show…so instead I’ll just put out there that good things can be born from the wake of an overrated vampire series that borrowed heavily from earlier fantasy literary genius.  Grimm touches on my fondness for children’s lit, German culture, cute-and-chivalrous-male-protagonist-types, action, and Hummel figurines.

I also hear that there is a similar show called Once Upon a Time in its second season, so I’ll be looking into that while Grimm is finding its hindlegs.  For now I’ll just click my way around while Marin is in NaNaLand and save the burning of eyes to my own.  I’ll keep the burning going and post back anything worth going-on about (again).  

Anyone else doing their best to keep their bebe’s young eyes away from the glowing light of technology?  Anyone else into Grimm??  Anyone else’s mother have Hummel figurines???

Photo of adorbs Hummel from *here*.  That’s the Sensitive Hunter figurine.  Don’t even get me started on the Umbrella Boy or Photographer or American flag-holding figurines.  I lose my collectible mind in the classic uber-cuteness.

For anyone that doesn’t know, I just fawn over their cute stuff.  Their target is, you guessed it, babies, but what I like best is the adaptability of their merchandise.  The leg warmers can also be used as arm warmers and are sized as one-size-fits-all.  Meaning baby can wear them, kids can wear them, tweens, teens, AND adults too.  I started out getting a red & white striped pair for Marin to use at Christmastime this year and from there have discovered their many uses.  On her legs they do their primary job as warmers, but they also are designed to lessen the hassle with diaper changes–no more pants to pull on/off, esp. in the night–and for that same purpose are excellent for potty-trainers who really don’t need one more layer to yank off before they can get to biz.  BabyLegs also work to protect little knees from rug & floor burns while crawling around (for Marin this is still more like sprawling around and doing her revving up to crawl position).  Plus, they’ll fit her forever.  I do mean forever because they are sized for adult men and women to wear them too.  Score!

I already wear arm warmers when it gets cold out, so these are great to have around the house.  The ones I have bought in the past from REI, etc. have been wool and require special wash instructions or have been a major pain with all their fluff and hairy texture over time.  BabyLegs have a smooth texture to them (lil’ Legs are 100% organic cotton, regular Legs are cotton & natural latex) and easily slip over or under shirts and jackets.  This is not to mention all the sweet designs (football patterns, rainbow stripes, and ballet slippers, anyone?)!   We have enough that Marin doesn’t mind sharing with her ol’ mum.    And I’ll be putting these to good use as photo props for future photo seshs.  So when Marin is not rocking them and I’m not donning them, they may be showing up on someone else’s kid.

I’m a VIP over at BabyLegs, so I get special deals.  Feel free to check out the sale (Hurry!  It’s only for another day!!) and use the code HALFOFF to take 50% off your total.  And it’s FREE shipping on purchases over $30!  Lil’ Warmers (for newborns) are $8; Regular Warmers are $10, so you’ll take any pair home for $4-5!  Tights are $12; socks are $8-10…this is all *before* your discount and ALL patterns are on sale!  Most are smooth, some are fuzzy (like the Halloween candy corn pattern), some are organic, some are just colours without patterns.  Check them out and let me know what you think.

Use my referral link to let them know I sent you (http://www.babylegs.com/Default.aspx?rc=1254075) or just pop my referral code into the box during the checkout process (1254075) & they’ll give me a bump too.  I’m signed up for a year, so please feel free to use my referral # after the sale too -or- to pass it on to friends.  Don’t forget to put the discount code in too so you can take advantage of that half off deal!  The free shipping (over $30) is automatic, so no code needed there.

* Post contains affiliate link.

Adorbs photo of baby in Kaleidoscope leggings from here.  Evolution size photo from here.

Even little women have this feature.  What is she saying?  What does that mean??  Does this alternate context start at birth -or- evolve from some young social experience???  I think about these questions…even about Marin.  See from a few weeks old she has made owl sounds.  Well, to *me* they sounded like owl sounds; I cannot completely know what they sound like to her, especially since she has yet to meet an owl (animated or otherwise).  And if I mimicked her noises, she would look wide-eyed *as if* to say “What is this?  You speak my language??”  The connection was so warm that I anticipated the phrase meant something very important.  What could be so important for her to say so frequently and with such entertaining passion?

I.love.you.

I was sure of it, b/c she has forever had classic timing.  Always giggling at my mishaps, nodding her head when I ask questions she couldn’t possibly understand yet, and spitting up as an answer to “What do you think of my new shirt?”.  So I concluded that when Marin says “Hoot, hoot…”, I take it to mean “I love you.”

Next time you are around her, try it out.  Let me know if she gives you the same warm fuzzies vibe.  She also fancies giraffes although I have not a single clue what kind of sound a giraffe makes.  (Anyone?  Ah, I’ll probably end up looking it up.)  In the interim, here’s our little owl in action.  Notice the nose flares when she gets excited.  

And heyyyyy…guess who learned to roll front to back today?