Jeepers Creepers

So, yesterday I was watching the news (shocking, I know) and learned of a convicted rapist who has been harassing women at a college near our apartment. Creepy!!! Apparently he approaches girls and starts discussing politics. Shortly into their conversation, he switches into explicit sexual language. Freaky. Why do we let these people out of jail??!!

Between this and the absurdly strange and disgusting sexual anecdote my mom shared with me yesterday (unrelated to her), I've had just about enough.

Naturally Offensive

An oxymoron, yes. Today I read Glamour magazine while eating a great salad and enjoying the weather at Kowalski's with my boy (yes, life as a stay at home mom is tough sometimes) when I came upon a slew of opinions about breastfeeding. The mag must have featured a story on this subject last month, and the opinions I read were in the editorial section.

To be fair, I never thought very much about breastfeeding prior to pregnancy. I guess I figured breastfeeding was natural, and I did consider that walking, talking kids were probably beyond the need for mom's milk. I was not breastfed as a baby, but my family seemed supportive of whatever I chose for my own baby. Formula seemed a viable option, and sometimes when I am up all night I do wish Dad could help out. For whatever reasons, I'm doing it, people.

Most of the opinions expressed in Glamour seemed in favor of breastfeeding (or, really, in favor of doing "whatever you want"---isn't that a tragic epidemic?); however, many felt that such encounters should occur only in one's own home. I guess I do understand how some people might be conflicted about women who "whip it out" to breastfeed in public...not everyone wants to see that. I can also empathize with the woman who was woefully exposed at Lake Harriet this summer, though: she had 2 other tots running around and was doing whatever she could to get that infant fed. Discretion was hardly at the forefront of her mind, nor should it have beens

The main point, in my mind, is not whether breastfeeding overexposes society to bare breasts (let's all agree that MTV has that covered...or uncovered) but rather that breastfeeding IS unarguably natural and (perhaps even more importantly) a woman who breastfeeds ONLY in her own home could never, ever leave her home. My kid, at least, eats constantly@

Can I endure imprisonment in my 1 bedroom apartment? No. Should I endure it?

Thankfully, I don't care enough about your opinion to change the way I'm getting nutrition to Tommy.

Abu Nader Deli

If you get the chance, this middle eastern deli on Como Avenue earns five stars for fabulous schwarmas. They are huge, gluttonous pitas dripping with cucumber sauce and overflowing with seasoned meat.

Best in the cities.

True Love

Our son has a font of earwax. Seriously. Funny how when it's your kid, you're not even grossed out at getting his earwax cleared out. In fact, it's kind of fascinating.

Car Ride

I'm sitting with my legs stretched up on the dash board when he looks at me with that look. He's awestruck, gazing as though I am the most adorable creature he has ever beheld. And then, to seal the deal:

"I hope all our daughters look exactly like you."

Sigh.

And Now for the Famous Cherry Love Bars

Bet you can't eat just one:

Crust
Mix 2 C flour, 1/2 C sugar, and 1 C softened butter like pie crust, using fork or pastry cutter. Press into greased 9x13'' pan. Bake at 350 for 10 min.

Layer 2
Beat 2 eggs and 1 egg yolk (save the white for later) with 1 and 1/2 C brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1/4 C flour, 1/2 t baking powder, 1/2 t salt, 1/2 C chopped maraschino cherries, drained, and 1/2 C chopped walnuts. Chop extra nuts for sprinkling.

Spread this on crust and bake 30 min at 350 OR UNTIL MIDDLE SETS. (Made sure the middle isn't runny. You will be sorry if this happens.)

Cool.

Frosting
Beat your remaining egg white with 2 T cherry juice, 1/4 C crisco and 2 C powdered sugar. Spread on bars and sprinkle with nuts.

YUM!

Frankenstein

Frankenstein is bigger than any human being.
He's 8 feet tall!
"What does he do?" we ask Luki.
He mostly strangles people.

Beautiful Son

He is sleeping and we lay in bed together. He is nestled into my side as I read The Time Traveler's Wife. I hear, feel his breath. He is beautiful. I pull the covers up enough to just cover his little chest. Every so often, I stop reading to poke him just a touch...his face contorts, or his tongue sticks out, and then he's back to sleep. It is amazing to spend a morning snuggled up with a baby who you created. He opens his eyes and peers into the world, and his face breaks into a wide smile when he sees me, his mother. Simply astounding. My son.

Ode to 21

Avoiding It

I'm avoiding the gym right now, only for a brief moment, to note that I spent a great deal of last night avoiding confrontation. What's my issue? I can't seem to let bygones be bygones.

I guess this entry it going to remain pretty vague, so maybe I'll just quit for the readers' benefit.

Argh.

Mmm...Yummy Fall

I was just thinking---if you were locked in a room and could only feel the air as it is today, would you guess the season?

Bob the Ellipse Man

Bob is an old man I see every morning at the YMCA. I'm not really sure his name is Bob, but I think I heard someone call him that once. At any rate, Bob pretty much owns the elliptical machine he uses at the Y. The man is on that thing any time I start working out---which varies pretty significantly based on Tommy's appetite---and he continues working it long after I'm done. I should mention I get a good hour of cardio in daily. I believe Bob, estimated to be roughly 75 years of age, may just work out 2-3 hours daily. He is out of control. Sweat pouring down his chest and back, gray hair slick with shine and exertion, smile strapped on his face as though his true joy in life is to be the Number One Member of the YMCA.

In addition to being the fittest old man at the Y, Bob knows every single member who walks into the fitness center. He particularly knows the hot young women, whom I am sure find his smile, and stamina endearing.

If I am so fit and such a flirt at 75, then I'll be doing pretty damn good.

Well, here I am with the Boop. Life's been a little crazy learning to be a Mom, and maybe that's why I've neglected the blog. Although I guess I started neglecting it quite some time before Tommy was born.

I'm not sure exactly what I want to write about at this moment. It's one of those Sundays where I'd like to do something, but I'm too lazy to think of something fun enough and actually do it.

Whelp, that's it. More later.