Making up some deliciousness

For a Memorial Day party this past Monday I brought a dairy-free modified Hershey's cake (used Earth Balance and almond milk in place of butter and cow's milk) and this tasty little side dish:

Ashley's Zesty Fresh Corn Salad
Also known as The using up stuff in my pantry salad!

Ingredients:
5 ears roasted corn, sliced off the cob (or use two cans of corn)
6 medium tomatoes, sliced into 1/2" pieces
1 can medium black olives
1 can artichoke hearts, quartered
1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, quartered
6 cloves roasted garlic, diced
2 tsp dried rosemary (or 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary), chopped
2 Tbsp brown mustard
1/4 c. olive oil
1/8 c. lemon juice

Process:
Mix garlic, rosemary, mustard, olive oil, and lemon juice in dish (I used a Pyrex measuring cup). Stir until well blended. (Add more olive oil if the taste is too sharp for your liking, or add more lemon juice if it's not sharp enough.) Place corn, tomatoes, olives, and artichokes in large bowl. Pour dressing over top and mix well with large spoon. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 3 days. Serves about 10 (or more). 

The flavoring gives it a nice, refreshing feel. Also makes a good topping for burgers (per my husband).

Feeding baby

One of the great things about making baby food is that it allows me to regain an appreciation for the wonderful colors and textures of food. I've always loved the entire experience of food and eating--the color, the smell, the taste, the texture, and the visual appeal of a well-plated food--and now I get to share that with my son. I also get the responsibility for helping him to start and continue healthy eating habits, which will also help me to better plan my family meals to include more fruits and vegetables.

Joseph is now up to 3-4 solid feedings a day, in addition to his 5 breast feedings. This requires me to plan more in regards to what foods I have in the house, since he gets to try one new food every 4-7 days. However, it also means that I have to keep the foods he's already had available to round out his mealtimes. Case in point: over the weekend I roasted two butternut squashes (such a lovely bright orange color!). This made an entire bowlful of squash, which I will be packaging for freezing. However, my husband and I can also eat some of it, since a serving for a baby is 1/4 to 1/2 cup. I don't normally eat squash, especially in the summer, so it's good for me to add some more color to my veggie mix!

One thing I am a little nervous about starting is meats. I know my little guy will need more protein as he grows, but I am not looking forward to seeing the changes in digestion (most specifically, the smells). We bought a free-range chicken at the Public Market last weekend so I'm trying to decide if I save some of that for him to try or get some lamb or turkey per the recommendations in one of my baby cookbooks. However, something I found interesting was that I didn't totally enjoy the chicken, even though I know it's supposedly better for me. It tastes fine once it's got Dinosaur barbeque sauce on it (what doesn't?), but the texture was totally different than any chicken I've had before (more gamey/rubbery). Not bad, but different.

The crossroads

Here I stand, at the crossroads of my life.

“You are now at a crossroads. This is your opportunity to make the most important decision you will ever make. Forget your past. Who are you now? Who have you decided you really are now? Don't think about who you have been. Who are you now? Who have you decided to become? Make this decision consciously. Make it carefully. Make it powerfully.” - Anthony Robbins

Thankfully it's not a life or death decision, but merely one with financial, mental, and spiritual implications: Do I leave my 'cushy' job (and the opportunity for a new job at same company that sounds interesting) for the unknown wilds of full-time motherhood and part-time freelancing?

I guess the overall big picture question that I often don't ask myself is WHAT DO I WANT? What do I really want out of life? What would I like to look back over my life and see? Watching The Secret (via Netflix - for those of you who have it, I highly recommend watching it) this past week has challenged me to really take a step back, visualize where I want to be in life, and then focus on those goals every single day.

So why haven't I done this before? I think a lot of mothers (and people in general) don't really ask themselves that question. Probably because a) it's challenging! and somewhat scary and b) we tend to focus too much on the limitations (real or perceived) within our lives.

As a Christian, I also think I haven't asked myself that question because I felt like it wasn't 'right,' as though there would be some divine road map handed down to me that I must follow no matter what. Although I do believe that doing God's will is the highest call of my life, some of my recent reading/thinking/dreaming has led me to believe even more firmly that God really wants us to enjoy the lives we have on this earth. If I don't figure out what I want within myself (what He has put within me to desire wholeheartedly) and then set goals based on those desires, I won't really enjoy life because I will get caught up in the day-to-day grind of what I 'have to do'. (This world system can be so frustrating with the 'have to dos'!)

His will for me (the plan and purpose of my life) is infinitely bound up in the being that He made that is me! I was created for something amazing, and I plan to achieve that even if it's not what the world would deem as success.

I am at a crossroads. I am choosing a path. I look forward to seeing it revealed along the way.

Vacation reading

Hi everyone! I'm back from a wonderful week-long vacation in Virginia. We had beautiful weather the entire time, and I did not check e-mail, use my phone, or really look at a computer for almost the entire week! (Which is a huge accomplishment for a techno-geek like me.)

We did the usual vacation stuff, including getting sunburned, going in the ocean, sitting in the hot tub, and eating lots and lots of good food. Family breakfasts were a lot of fun - it's nice waking up to someone else making you eggs and bacon and strawberry pancakes (although I only ate one the entire week as a way to avoid the milk in the mixes). Joe and I also went on a date to a very nice restaurant with amazing food. My first course of a three-course tasting was pan-fried goat cheese (chevre) over sliced tomato, baby spinach, and golden balsamic vinaigrette - it was out of this world! I plan to try to recreate it at home very soon.

Before leaving on the trip, I had purchased some books on feeding and child nutrition that were recommended by the dietitian who taught a nutrition class I took at work. I've started the first one, Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense (by Ellyn Satter), and I have been enjoying it very much so far. I'll give a brief recap since I'm pretty far in to the book:

1. Division of responsibility in feeding. Parents are responsible for the what, when, and where of feeding, while children are responsible for the how much and whether of eating. Satter's overall point is that children are born with an innate sense of how much they need to eat, so trust your child to 'tell' you how much is enough. Instead, focus on providing nutritious meals in a warm, welcoming environment (can we say family meals anyone?) and enjoy the process of feeding.
2. Parents freaking out = kids getting eating problems. Satter doesn't constantly harp on the horror stories that she's experienced in her work, but she does provide a few examples that illustrate the principle of children knowing how much is enough. In cases where parents either try to force feed their children (because they're not eating 'enough') or where they try to limit calories or types of foods (because they don't want their child to 'get fat') the kids often develop problems that may get worse as they get older.
3. Relax and enjoy your child! Even though Satter is a dietitian, she doesn't give strict recommendations about types of foods to eat or avoid. Her focus is on what works best for your family.

Overall, I've been enjoying the book because it has helped me to calm down in regards to Joseph's solid feedings. I've been starting to stress about what to feed him and when and if he's getting enough or eating too much (since he seems to love eating!), so instead my plan is to chillax more and continue to follow his lead. Some changes I am going to implement from reading the book are the reintroduction of iron-fortified baby cereal and offering more finger foods. (I haven't been using cereal since it seems to be constipating, but I want to make sure Joseph is getting enough iron.) I started this morning with thick cereal (and a side of pureed spinach) and allowed Joseph to feed himself off his tray. It was messy but we had fun!

Tools of the trade

A friend emailed me to ask about Sophie the Giraffe from my last post, so I thought I'd dish a bit about the "tools of the trade": the essentials that I use everyday!

1. Ergo carrier - The Ergo Baby carrier is a recent addition to my mom arsenal, but it has quickly become my favorite! I haven't had back or shoulder pain (which I've gotten from other baby carriers, including the Bjorn and a sling) and it's way less work than wrapping myself with a Moby wrap. (Loved the concept of the Moby but just couldn't get it to work for me...) Joseph loves being held, and with the Ergo I can strap him (carefully!) onto my back and do housework, walk, or just bounce around with him.
2. Singing monkey toy - This has been one of Joseph's favorite toys since birth. We strapped it onto his carrier car seat, and now when we put him in his "big boy" car seat we still play it for him. Even if he's grumpy the music and lights make him smile!
3. "Crinkly" baby books - Another all-time favorite. These are great for traveling because they have handles that can be attached with links or straps so they don't get lost. Joseph also loves to teeth on these!
4. Baby banana toothbrush - Brushing teeth doesn't sound like fun, but we make it fun with this toothbrush (no toothpaste needed yet... although at the rate he's teething we may need to start using it!) and mommy's fun toothbrush song (which I may release as a CD sometime soon... keep your eyes peeled haha). Joseph also likes to chew on this as it's more like a teether than a brush.
5. Planet Wise wet bags - For the cloth diaperer, an essential. These bags keep the diapers ready for washing, and I haven't noticed too many problems with smell (although if they aren't zipped all the way some odors do emerge!). These also could be used for dirty laundry if you're not into cloth diapers.
6. Grandma El's diaper rash cream - The best diaper rash/prevention cream we've used to date. It is safe for cloth diaper usage (shouldn't use traditional diaper rash creams with cloth as the zinc oxide and other chemicals can cause the diapers not to absorb as well), smells good, and is more natural so baby doesn't have a ton of chemicals on his booty!
7. Roobeez baby shoes - Love these! Lose the baby socks (you will lose them anyway!) and go for Roobeez or Bobux - you won't regret it! They stay on all day and allow Joseph to use his toes for gripping/learning to walk while providing protection against the environment. Plus, they are pretty darn cute!
8. Tommy Tippee bottles - The only bottle Joseph liked enough to use. We also saw a decrease in gas (and the associated spit-up) with these.
9. Infant tylenol. 'Nough said. I don't advocate drugging children, but some days this is all that will help my teething guy.
10. Fuzzibunz one-size diapers - I know I've raved about these before, but it's true: they rock! They are so easy to use and it's pretty rare to have a leak and even rare-r to have a blowout. (I don't think we've had a blowout since before starting solids!)

As Joseph continues to grow I'm sure our "must-haves" will grow with him, but for right now this is where we're at! Anyone else have any tools of the trade to share?

The throes of teething

My poor little boy is so sad. All of these big white teeth are trying to pop through his little gums. Sigh.

At least there is one consolation: he has discovered the joys of using a cold teether straight from the fridge, which seems to alleviate some of the pain. (Previously he refused all cold and/or wet items such as frozen washcloths.) I also bought him a Sophie teether, which he really seems to like. Another good purchase was a teething necklace, since he likes to try to eat my jewelry anyway.

Why oh why does benzocaine have to carry risks? We were using it before (since Joseph has been teething since 4 months old) and it seemed to help. However, I do not want to see any crazy problems like the ones described here. His health is more important than momentary discomforts.

Too many teeth!

I have a teething machine. Joseph had 2 teeth come in at 4 months old, and now at almost 8 months of age he has 7 teeth (with more on the way!). I'm glad he's healthy and so "advanced," but sometimes I really, really wish he was a late bloomer who didn't get any teeth until he was 1 year old!

Thanks to the teeth, this past week we have been having problems with feeding. Joseph is a "hasty latcher," meaning that he clamps on very quickly. This wasn't a problem until recently when he started using his bottom teeth instead of covering them with his tongue. I was trying to work with him to get him to open wider, but he was struggling against any interference so I just dealt with the pain and figured it would get better.

Then, on the eve of Mother's Day, he bit down very quickly and got my nipple. Can I just say OUCH!!! I started bleeding and was freaking out a little bit because it's very emotional (and painful!) to feel like you can't figure out how to feed your own child. I was even down on myself a bit because, as a working mom, I sometimes feel like I'm not truly a mom in any way except in being able to breastfeed my son. He spends more time with his auntie and grandmas during the week than he does with me, which, although I am grateful that we have family to help, does sometimes make me concerned about his attachment to them vs. to me in the long run.

I ended up pumping that night and twice the next morning. Joseph wasn't having my interference when I tried to get him to latch in the morning, and he actually reached for the bottle that was sitting on the table nearby. (Talk about rejection.) I also was very nervous about getting him to latch on because I was looking at those teeth just waiting to clamp... Yikes!

I wasn't sure how things were going to end up this week, but (thanks be to God!) my Mother's Day present was being able to work with Joseph to get him to latch on pain-free! Yay! :)

In case anyone else is dealing with a similar problem, this is what I did: I used the hand that's not aiming the breast to push the bottom of his chin open as wide as possible - kind of like you're about to milk a snake (haha). The information I found online recommends cupping the hand underneath the chin, but that's a) uncomfortable and b) he doesn't like that even more than he doesn't like this! I also aim the breast at his nose per the recommendations found on kellymom. (It sounds weird but it does help!)

My husband also wrote me a really nice note in which he reminded me that mothering is about more than just feeding our son, and that he thinks I'm a great mother to Joseph. Of course, that made me start crying again, but it was really nice and it did help me to get out of the emotional valley I was stuck in.

Has anyone else had any special breastfeeding hurdles they've had to conquer?

Dairy-free brownies... yum yum!

Since choosing to go dairy-free, I've been so thankful for the Better Homes & Gardens Cook Book I received as a wedding present. All of the recipes are "made from scratch", so they are very easy to modify for making them dairy-free! The following is my modified version of the Cake Brownies recipe in this cookbook.

Ashley's Choco-licious Dairy-Free Brownies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Earth Balance soy-free, melted in a bowl
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (or try almond extract!)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I like King Arthur)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup chocolate rice milk (use this for best results... you can use almond milk but the brownies will be drier. I haven't tried other non-dairy milks yet.)
• 1 cup chopped almonds, walnuts, or pecans (optional)
• 1 cup semi-sweet dairy-free/casein-free chocolate chips (or chopped dairy-free/casein-free dark chocolate) (optional)

Process

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Grease a 15x10x1-inch baking pan (or 13 x 9) and set aside. (I use Pam for greasing, it's easier!)
3. Melt the Earth Balance in a microwave-safe bowl on high for 30 seconds (or however long your microwave takes. Mine is very powerful!)
4. Add sugar and cocoa powder, cream until well combined with wooden spoon.
5. Add eggs and vanilla and beat lightly until just combined, scraping down sides of the bowl periodically.
6. In a separate small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
7. Alternately add flour mixture and milk, mix until well blended after each addition.
8. Stir in nuts and/or chocolate chips, if using.
9. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.
10. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
11. Cool on a rack, cut, and serve.

Note: I've found if you let them sit overnight they 'coagulate' and become even more delicious! However, ours don't normally make it that long...

I used to make these every weekend, but I'm trying to slow down on the sweets consumption so I haven't made them in a few weeks. If you try them, let me know how they turn out!

Fuzzibunz sale!

I had to post a link to this for all of my cloth diapering moms: Buy 5 one-size Fuzzibunz, get 1 free!

Singing to my baby

I make up songs for Joseph quite frequently. He is a music lover and has stopped to listen to piano songs in movies we've been watching (such as Pride and Prejudice). It seems like singing things, even ordinary everyday things like "let's change your diaper yea yea yea" or "time to take a bath! hooray!" make him smile even if he's not that excited about it.

And, of course, the other reason is to make him smile just for the sake of seeing him smile! I have a 'special' little ditty I made up for him that I've been singing to him since he was born. Each and every time I sing it to him he smiles. It's one of the best things ever!

My mom (first-time grandma) also has a song she made up for him that has been repeated quite frequently, and he has the same reaction. (However, the rest of the family has gotten tired of hearing it... but she doesn't care! :)

I may not sing in public ever, but at least I can sing for my favorite audience and get rewarded with love.

Reflections on logos

Today I'm taking a break from mom posts and instead posting about something near and dear to my professional heart: logos.

As a marketing professional with a background in graphic design, I've designed logos for bands, companies, et cetera. I won't claim to be a professional designer, but I've done it.

That being said, something that irks me to no end is when companies change their logos. I read a press release today about a company launching new logos with its' structure change. I do understand the theory behind changing a logo with corresponding corporate changes--i.e., this is a 'new' company, so we should have a new logo!--but I think that, in most cases, the change isn't needed. If your brand/logo has positive, long-standing associations with it, why change it? Change the rhetoric, change the way you do things, but keep a well-designed logo in place!

Examples of bad logo changes:

• The Gap
• This change was so bad that the Gap went back to the old one...
• Old logo on R below, former new logo on L

• Xerox
• C'mon, really? What does the "shiny marble" really add? Oh well.
• Old logo on L below, new logo on R

•  Best Buy
• Yes, let's swap our totally recognizable logo for a new blase one!
• Old logo on L below, new logo on R

Well, that's the end of my rant for today. Anyone else have any other bad logo changes they can think of?