Fun in the sun

It was a beautiful day yesterday, so we headed to our favorite NW. For a little variety, we detoured off our typical route and walked through the Pearl. Although we grumbled a bit as we walked past the new-and-not-so-improved Bridgeport, it was fun to be outside in the sunshine admidst all the activity. We ultimately ended up at Jamison Square, which was an unexpected treat. Franny was very intrigued by the fountain, as well as all the kids playing in it--there was no question she wanted to go play in it too! She made a bee-line for the water, and probably would have dove right on in, had Daddy not been there to hold her back! They compromised with some enthusiastic splashing before we went on our way. It's always so much fun to see Franny have such a wonderful time--especially when it's so unexpected!

All smiles are not created equally

Without question, Franny has the most incredible, wonderful, infectous, heart-melting smiles I have ever seen. And she has a multitude of smiles, ranging from the subtle and sweet, to mischievous to fun-loving, to just plain happy and joyous.

However, there is nothing that I love more than the smiles I get immediately after Franny awakes in the morning. I don't know if it's the rumpled hair, the bleary eyes, the smile that seems to say "Oh, hooray--I haven't seen you in so long!", or the combination of it all, but it melts my heart every single morning. Unquestionably, I love all of Franny's smiles, and thankfully, she smiles, grins, and beams quite continuously throughout the day. But there is something very special about that morning smile, and although I have tried repeatedly, it's not an image a camera can capture. I guess it must be one of those joys of motherhood--lucky me!!!

It's raining--it must be Memorial Day weekend!

Friday afternoon, we kicked off the Memorial Day weekend with a brief trip to the zoo. With our membership, as well as the close proximity to our house, it is so wonderful and convenient to be able to just go for just an hour, or however long we'd like, and not have to worry about the entrance fees, which are currently $9.50 per person! This summer, we look forward to going to some of the concerts and exploring some of the great events that take place at the zoo.

On this trip, however, we encountered a very proud peacock--which was exciting--as well as elephants, orangutans, and a pacing Amur leopard, to note. Everything else seemed to be kicking off their vacation by going on their own vacation! Franny was unquestionably intrigued with what we did see, but her expressions were fairly subdued--a lot of intense observing and some pointing were her primary reactions. Regardless, it was a fun excursion until the rain started--thankfully, we got back to the car just as it started to really come down. Overall, though, a fun trip!

Clueless

I should preface by explaining that Franny really does not like to be constrained in any way. For example, she complains most fervently when I attempt to trim her fingernails--or her toenails for that matter. Even diaper and clothes changing does not escape without issues. So, it really is not a surprise that Franny won't let us look inside her mouth and getting something out once it goes in almost takes divine intervention.

Yesterday, I was playing peek-a-boo with Franny and she was laughing hysterically. To my amazement, with her mouth open wide, I can see that she has two more teeth, making her tooth count an even ten! Now, looking pictures over the last couple of weeks, it's hard to see how we missed them! They are most obvious in this shot, which also makes we wonder if there are even more. The girl, however, has clammed up, so I'll have to wait to make that determination!

Mom, is this organic ravioli?

Food and eating constitute a significant chunk of our daily routine. There is breakfast, followed by the morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, a pre-dinner snack, and then dinner. With a toddler who is just learning how to eat and also enjoys playing with her food, this facet of our lives takes quite a chunk of time--I'd approximate we spend between two and a half and three and a half hours a day just eating. That is 21% to 29% of the day. All this time gives me ample opportunity to reflect on our family's diet.

I spend a lot of time planning Franny's meals, introducing new foods, and attempting to balance all her nutritional needs, including the standard food groups, EFAs--especially omega 3s, and both plant and meat protiens. I'm not trying to be a fanatic--in the short run, I just want her to be as healthy as possible; in the long run, I want her to have a solid understanding of how nutrition impacts the body so she can have control over her health and hopefully, a postive body image, which is particularly hard for girls these days.

So far, Franny has been very easy, she eats brown rice, whole grain pastas, every fruit and vegetable, soy, and chicken. And she eats with extreme enthusiasm. She also has had minimal interest in sweets like cake or cookies, although I realize this will change.

So, it makes me wonder, if I am really committed to Franny's nutrition, should I be providing her with 100% organic foods? I would say that organics make up about 30% of our diet. I would like to do more, but it is very difficult to accept the cost. For example, we consume 5 1/2 pounds of bananas a week. To buy organic would add up to $2 a week, or just over $100 a year. That figure seems rather minimal, but that is just bananas. Chicken would represent an additional $18 a week or $936 a year. It significantly adds up, no question!

But the concern is Franny's health. A 2003 University of Washington study found that children who ate a diet of organic food had a level of pesticides in their bodies that was six times lower than children who ate a diet of conventionally produced food. Animal testing has indicated that pesticides can cause permanent changes in brain chemistry that may lead to anything from behavioral disorders to learning disabilities to long-term damage to the brain and nervous system. Pesticides may also block a child's absorption of nutrients that are important for healthy growth and development. Babies and young children may be especially vulnerable to pesticides because their organs and nervous system are at a crucial stage of development, because they may absorb pesticides more easily and break them down less easily, and because they eat more food relative to their body weight than adults. And lastly, a 2003 study at the University of California at Davis found that organic fruit has up to 58 percent more antioxidants (which may help prevent heart disease and cancer) than non-organic fruit.

So, remains the challenge--the balance between healthy eating and all the other needs we have. Currently, I have no solution, but its just something I think about--constantly.

Peek-a-boo!

These are my latest favorite pictures of Franny, taken at our most recent family gathering celebrating Mother's Day and Noelle's birthday. She's smiling at Auntie Noelle playing peek-a-boo out the back door. It will be a very sad day when peek-a-boo doesn't get the same response of giggles, smiles, and outright laughter that it does now. But for now, we enjoy it immensely!! And as you can see, repetition makes each time funnier and funnier...

Do you hear something?

Yesterday, while I was catching up on a few email correspondences, I left Franny to speed around the upstairs with her wagon, a favorite activity of her's that involves a lot of banging into floor boards, as well as loading and unloading of various objects, which depending on the object, can get quite noisy! From experience, I can easily track her location by monitoring the volume level of her flurry of activity. But yesterday, after several minutes, I noticed that everything had become unusually quiet. In these situations, experience has taught me to act very quickly, because in our house, quiet is not synonymous with still or calm. My investigation revealed Franny practicing not only her expert climbing expertise, but her rocking skills, as well!

And she was not too happy about being found out!

Orange it great?

The new food today: oranges. Concensus: yum!!!-- not one piece hit the ground, which is almost unheard of, and she actually abandoned her trademark slouch to sit up and eat! She ended up eating the whole thing, minus one small piece.

After getting orange juice all over herself, I took her upstairs to change her into some new clothes. She, however, had different ideas--apparantly, clothes are just way too bothersome, and she is now running around in her noodles, but happy as a clam . Go figure.

Hooray, it's market day!

Well, there was no way that a little rain was going to stop us from dressing in our shopping attire! We modified a bit by adding some tights, as I can imagine it can get a little breezy zipping around in a shopping cart! But in the end, looking and feeling good, and ready to go! And, we got lucky and got the pole-position parking, which was perfect, given the rain. It also made up for the fact that we only saved $1.50 this week. At least gas prices dropped a bit...

Say cottage cheese!

With Franny, there are always adventures in eating. But for whatever reason, cottage cheese has always been one of the few foods that Franny just didn't care for. Maybe it was the texture or just the general uniqueness of it, but she wouldn't let it past the lips. Last week, however, she started eating it, and now loves it.

However, cottage cheese is tricky. It is lumpy enough to eat with the hands, but also runny enough where a mother would prefer it eaten with a spoon. But where there's a spoon, there's bowl, and these days, Franny must have her own spoon and the bowl must be on the tray. Yesterday, though, we controlled the mess pretty well, and when she appeared to be done, I headed off for a paper towel to clean her up. Oh, did I mention I forgot to take the bowl with the remaining cottage cheese with me? I guess she wasn't quite done, after all!

First bloom

Maybe it's because my roses have started blooming, but lately, I have felt the absence of my grandma more strongly than usual. I know she is with us, and that she must be so pleased with Franny--tickled pink, to say the least. While it comforts me to know that she is watching over us, it saddens me to think that Franny will never know her as we did. Yet, I have to smile when I remember her in her pink jumpsuit or think of her rolling up her hair in curlers before she went to bed. Isn't it funny what memories stay with us? Sometimes it's the most trivial, little thing that stays in the forefront of the mind--the smell of marigolds; circle-cut slices of watermelon; two and one-hundred dollar bills in the freezer; the color pink. And, every once in a while, I will smell someone wearing her lotion and my throat will tighten.

However, nothing reminds me more of Grandma than the roses she loved. She was soft and feminine, yet strong as nails--and beautiful in all the important ways. Maybe that is what makes roses so special to all of us, and why we nurture them, most protectively, in our gardens. Absolutely, roses are beautiful to admire, with aromatics that can overwhelm the senses. But, for me, rose blooms are more than that, they have a special feeling, and are perceived with the heart.

Someday Franny will ask why, given the constant battles with deer, aphids, and blackspot, we tend to our roses with such care and attention. At that point, I will explain by creating a memory for her--one that we all will build on. Through us, Franny will know her great-grandmother and everything that made her so special. And someday, she will be able to recount stories as if they were her own memories. I look forward to that.

Sometimes I wonder if we were given Franny to replace some of the "pink" that is missing from our lives. If nothing else, she is unquestionably a reminder that we are the culmination of the generations that came before us, and how important it is to celebrate family, both past and present.

Dog's best friend

Dusty is a wonderful dog, but she has never been particularly comfortable with the attention lavished on Franny. When Franny visits, Dusty always becomes just a bit mischievous, getting into things she knows she shouldn't, just to make sure my dad doesn't forget she is there and that she would really appreciate a good scratch behind the ears. You really have to sympathize with her--it's hard to compete with the only grandchild!

Recently, however, Dusty has discovered that Franny may not be all so bad--in fact, she can be a significant ally for a Lab who is greatly motivated by an insatiable appetite. When Franny is around, Dusty has learned that the place to be is under the high chair. Here, there will always be a steady stream of bits from a snack, lunch, or dinner, since Franny's eating style typically follows the pattern of bite, bite, drop; bite, bite, drop (or throw). And, when Dusty is around, it isn't uncommon for Franny to replace the "drop" with a deliberate offering. For although Franny is an enthusiastic eater, having a dog close by is so much more interesting and, as a result, meals become more about playing than eating.

So, an unexpected partnership has formed between the two. Franny is Dusty's snack supplier, while Dusty has become Franny's meal-time entertainment. As far as they're concerned, its the perfect win-win situation!

Signs of recognition

I suppose, to understand how Franny's thought process works would take away from the wonderment I enjoy watching her knowlege develop. There are times, however, that I really would like to know what made something "click". Franny's signing is one of those times. Over the past months, I have created countless games, in both food and play, trying to teach Franny to sign "more". Also, I have used the sign for "water" nearly every time I have ever offered or given her water, which we started probably 5-6 months ago. Still, both of these signs gets the blank stare.



Early last week, Franny and I were looking through books, which involves a lot of rhetorical conversation on my part: "Franny, where is the circle?"; "Franny, is that a cat in the grass?"; "Franny, are those glasses like Grandpa's?"; "Franny, where is the rabbit's nose?--where is Franny's nose?". And then, just when I am starting to think, "Franny, where is your crazy Mommy?", we have one of those wonderful, inspirational moments. I pointed to a dog, and said "Franny, what is that?", and she patted my leg, giving me the sign for "dog". To say I was ecstatic is a complete understatement. We've repeated it every day since, so I know she is really understanding and communicating. And the act of her slapping my leg instead of her own I consider just "classic Franny", and it makes me shake my head and laugh to myself, in both amusement and awe.

Surprisingly, her signing has impacted me more than her actual speaking--I am so impressed and proud of her accomplishment. While I have absolutely no idea why "dog" became Franny's first sign, my only hope is that it is just the first of many signs between us.

Hands over fist

Franny is definitely through a developmental burst. She is so close to mastering her shape sorter--she gets it probably 90% of the time; her nesting cups are now being nested and stacked, and then, of course, knocked down. Also, she has started stacking her bristle blocks with surprising ease, where just last week she was primarily just putting them in and then emptying them out of their carrying case.

In general, she is becoming so much more sophisticated in how she uses her hands and in her ability to manipulate objects. She is also bouncing balls (this is very amusing), blowing kisses, taking lids on and off, as well as eating her peas one at a time in rapid succession. Everyday she blows me away with something new she can do, which leaves me wondering what she will amaze me with tomorrow!

Lovin' Spoonful

Well, the adventures in eating continue! Today, I prepared Franny's midmorning snack--a two egg scramble and a piece of toast. (yes, she eats it all!) But, when I put some on her tray, I got the look. And then, the point--she pointed to my plate that had the remaining portion. I'm thinking, you've got to be kidding--if I give her that plate there will not only be a plate on the floor, but I will be cleaning up bits of egg for the next two weeks! With Franny insisting on feeding herself, it is very, very difficult to balance the trade off of consistently giving her the opportunity to learn and the mess it inevitably creates. Today, with a heavy sigh, I reluctantly succumb to her request-- but I don't let go of the plate. She's very pleased, regardless.

Since I've already conceded to the mess, I decided to take it a step further and gave her a spoon, since over the past week she has made some very deliberate attempts to use her own. And she is ecstatic--all that food, and so many ways to eat it! First, she unsuccessfully tries to scoop the eggs (she's much better with foods that conveniently stick to the spoon, like yogurt or applesauce); then, proceeds to place the eggs on the spoon. Very smart!! Unfortunately, it's hard to get that bite all the way to the mouth when the food is on the back side of the spoon. But she's tenacious, and tries several times before the spoon finally hits the floor and she finishes up with her hands. Great job, Franny!

Dress for success

Today's blog theme must be clothes, as here I go again. Franny, independent as she is, still hasn't made the shift to walking. But because she is so independent, as well as extremely efficient in her crawling, she can't wear dresses, for the reason that she gets all tangled up. As a result, it has been impractical for her to wear the adorable sun dresses hanging up in her closet.

This week, however, we came up with a temporary solution. Franny can wear her sun dresses on days we go grocery shopping, since she has to suspend her on-the-go lifestyle for an extended period of sitting. Her shopping attire has also seemed to end the confusion that she is a girl--with few exceptions, regardless of what store we're at, there has been an elderly gentleman who pauses to ask "how old is he?" or "what's his name?" Dressing in pink from head to toe didn't do the trick, but the dress did. And Franny gets a kick out of it, since dresses are still a novelty for her. She spent much of her trip yesterday patting herself and pointing at the multiple ladybugs adorning her dress. She would take just brief moments to look up at me, smile, and say "mmmm!" before resuming her inspection.

And for us, I suppose it's appropriate to dress for the occasion, as grocery day is always quite the event. We spend the morning matching up our recipe pool with our current coupons/sale items, make a list--we never deviate from the list!--and head out to be the super savvy shoppers that we are. The entire process takes us most of the morning. But it's worth it--to date, our coupon clipping has saved us $305. Our goal for the year is $1000. We'll see if we make it!

The shorts are back!

Kids' clothes are a lot of fun--I must admit I love dressing Franny in cute clothes, especially if I can coordinate a hat, whether it be for sun or cold. Last summer Franny had the absolute cutest little pair of bike shorts, and I think they were probably the favorite outfit for both Rick and I last summer. And yes, he does get a kick out Franny's little outfits too!

Awhile back, I was talking to one of the moms in Franny's play group and she was telling me about some incredible deals she got on Gymboree clothes on EBay, so of course I had to check it out (the fact I love EBay helped, of course!) And there were Franny's shorts! So, I bought a pair for Franny, and quickly logged off before I could succumb to any more temptations! Although, in retrospect, I can't believe I didn't get the hat too! Regardless, with the unseasonably hot weather this week, we have been able to break into Franny's summer clothes. So, the shorts are back, and cute as ever! Actually, I should say, the shorts are back, and Franny is cute as ever!

Missing Phone

This morning, as Rick was getting ready to leave for work, he did his routine four point check--computer, lunch, wallet, cell phone. Although he remembered having his phone when he came downstairs, he couldn't find it once he was ready to finally head out. We looked around, but couldn't find it anywhere. Fortunately, he finally remembered that he had turned it on, so he called it using the land line. The phone turned out to be remarkably close--Franny had gotten ahold of it and had put it under the seat of her fire truck!

Auntie Christmas

There is no question that Franny loves her Auntie Noelle--and they are quite a pair. It is a wonderful relationship that I cherish watching develop week by week. Yesterday, Noelle came for her weekly visit, bringing along scones to share, as well as a Franny-size Starbucks cup that she can have as her very own, which of course she LOVES. And after all, you never get a whole scone of your very own from Mom, and especially never one thats not broken up into little bite size pieces!

After one of Noelle's visits, Rick always comes home and asks: "so, did Franny have a good time with Noelle, today?" To which, I have to say, "omigosh, yes!!!" And then when Rick asks: "so, what did they do?" I always think to myself, what didn't they do? And to say that they play, talk--yes, they do talk--, laugh, and really enjoy each other just doesn't suffice. They have their own thing going on, complete with its own language and gestures (to see both them simultaneously raise one eyebrow in response to something is almost eerie), as well as many other connections you would have to witness to understand. It is a very special relationship to which I have the absolute joy of being able to watch grow and unfold.

Although, I am just bracing myself for the day where my little Franny yells at the peak of an emotion-laden tantrum: "I'm going to go live with Auntie Noelle!!!"

Bye!

Let my preface by saying I LOVE our music class! Music Together is an incredible program, and our teacher, Bonnie, is exceptional! The Music Together approach encourages the actual experiencing of music rather than the learning of concepts or attempting to teach music. So, kids have a great time responding to music in their own way. Once, after a jam session, Bonnie commented that she had never seen a morocca stuffed so far into a little mouth before--hilarious, but scary. I guess music appreciation takes many forms!

So, Franny laughs, "sings", slaps her legs along with the music and has an incredible time. She clearly loves the music and the dancing, but she also loves being around other kids. And its interesting to see how different ages respond to music, since the class includes kids ages 0-5. Franny is the youngest, so exactly how she is absorbing the music is not always as obvious as with older children, because kids her age are not sophisticated enough to really keep the beat. But she clearly thinks she does, which is what makes it so much fun!

At the every class session there is a good-bye song (as well as a hello song), where everyone sings goodbye (or hello) to each child. At our Monday class, we were singing along, going around the circle, and finally got to Franny: "...good-bye to Franny, good-bye, so long, farewell," and Franny, with all her radiant charm, responded with an enthusiastic wave and a resounding "bye"! Everyone laughed so hard we had to restart our song. Franny was still waving as we were headed out to the car.

Mother's Day

Rick and Franny treated me to a wonderful Mother's Day at Horsetail Falls on the Gorge, followed by dinner at Edgefield. Unquestionably, Franny was quite taken with the falls--we couldn't get a good scenic picture, as she couldn't take her eyes off of them!

We also enjoyed about two miles of hiking before it was time to start heading back. We were able to make it to Upper Horse Tail Falls, which is fun because you can walk behind it, and almost to Oneonta Falls. Her hat made it about a half a mile. Thank goodness for sunscreen! The shoe made it about a mile.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog!

Today marks the second time I have had the honor to celebrate Mother's Day as a mother. Francesca Rae joined us just prior to Mother's Day last year and has since reshaped my life in countless amazing and wonderful ways. How such a little soul can generate such joy is an overwhelming and welcome mystery. I am so proud to be a mom! I also have the tremendous privilege to be at home with her and bond with her in a very special way--she is a miraculous and complex little person!

And what difference a year makes! Last Mother's Day she was a helpless little newborn; now, she is an acutely alert and curious young toddler:

Given the day, I thought today would be the perfect time to begin my blog. Part of the wonderment of being home with Franny is the ongoing opportunity to be the first person to share in her new expressions, communications, and actions. This blog will represent my journey with her and document the adventures and routines of our lives; it is designed to be my journal, but in a format that allows others to share in our experiences as well. My blog will also include my thoughts and observations as a first-time mom.

I hope you will enjoy it! Please feel free to add your comments or questions, ask for updates to past postings, or just read along as we go! But just a note--there is no intended regularity or schedule for my blog--some days there may be several postings, other days maybe none! Regardless, I am looking forward to both creating it and sharing it with you!