Girl knows her Daddy, part 2 (and pears)

A rough 24 hours around here. Yawn.

Mr. P went out of town in the wee hours yesterday morning, before the Critter woke up. He comes back late tonight, after the Critter goes to bed. So in her world 2 days without Daddy.

And she is none too happy about it, let me tell you.

How does she know?? Last night she cried like I've never seen before. She was shaking so hard, so beet red, face so scrunched up, I thought she would implode. And this went on-and-off (but mostly on) until 11:30pm. She was put down at 7pm. OMG, this has NEVER happened before. It's stressful to listen to a wailing baby. And of course she was up at her usual 6:45am. Yawn.

Daddy is a huge part of her going-to-bed routine. And even if he doesn't put her to bed, as long as she sees him that day, things seem to be ok. But no Daddy, things no good. Ugh.

On a happier note, she LOVES pears. I peeled and cored some very ripe pears, put them in a saucepan with a tiny bit of water (although I think they were juicy enough that they didn't even need the water) for 4-ish minutes, then whirred them in the processor. I added too much of the cooking liquid, so it was a little thinner than I would have liked, but the Critter Girl did not mind. She slurped those things down like there was no tomorrow. On par with her love for nanas, if not higher. LOVE. And I think they will play nice with other things, like apples or sweet taters. So add another food to the list of Critter yumminess.

Now, off to rest my eyes. Yawn.

The Suburbs

We had a very nice weekend. No plans made it so we could kind of go with the flow, do what we wanted when the mood struck. We met my MIL and SIL for breakfast on Saturday so they could get their Critter fix. We took walks, cooked dinners. On Monday, we went to the 'burbs to visit some friends, although the wife, who I really was looking forward to seeing (and is an MD) was on call and stuck at the hospital all day. But we still had fun at their house, playing with their 2 boys and walking around their neighborhood.

And we began looking at some houses out there. Yes, we are thinking very seriously about leaving the city, and moving to the 'burbs. We've been thinking about it for awhile, and we don't plan to seriously consider doing it until next spring/summer, but I think the decision has been made.

I like living in the city, but when you add a Critter to the mix, it becomes increasingly expensive. Sure, it's fine now...but when she starts school? Expensive. And our 2-bed townhouse, which has been good for us, is beginning to feel claustrophobic. And to move to something bigger in the city? Super-expensive. And if we are lucky enough to have Critter sibling, things get ultra-super-expensive.

I like the idea of the Critter Girl running in grass, rather than on sidewalks and in parking lots or small playgrounds. I grew up in the burbs (not here, but still a suburb of another city) and it was nice. To be able to ride bikes, play with neighborhood friends, just run around. And Mr. P, he grew up in the city, a very urban environment. And he does not have fond memories of that. He was mugged a few times as a teen - really robbed for his Walkman or wallet. But still. He likes the idea of the Critter having a more peaceful location to grow up.

So predictably, we will have kid(s) and move to the burbs. As a girl who has lived in various cities for the last 17 years, and with a husband who has never lived outside a city, this is a big deal. But I think we're ready.

Apples

I gave up on avocado. I know I'm supposed to introduce new foods several times before giving up, but...well avocados are gross. See? This is how a palate is cultivated, parents picking and choosing what kids are exposed to. So it is probably not wise of me to stop avocados, but....they're just so yucky! Very adult of me, I know.

Onward and upward to apples!

I bought 4 Gala apples, peeled, cored and chopped them up. Into the saucepan with a few tablespoons of water, and covered them. Boiled them for a few minutes, then into the food processor with some of the cooking water. Wizz, wizz, wizz, and presto! Apple puree! Froze in my favorite ice cube trays, saving 2 oz for that evening's meal.

I chose not to add cinnamon at this point, just for the purity of the food trial. But I plan to add it in the future, it is allegedly very good for you (and tasty too!).

The Critter was surprised by apples. She was unsure if she liked them or not. She would eat some, then say no (which consists of slamming her mouth shut and blowing raspberries at me), then open wide again. When it was all said and done, she ate about 1.5 oz of the 2 I had prepared. So not bad. We'll try again today.

We are planning a quiet weekend at home. Mr. P is working from home today, and we'll maybe go to the 'burbs to visit some friends Monday. Other than that, no solid plans. Which is nice.

Hope you all have a safe and happy 4th of July (and non-USAers, a happy weekend!).

Avocado

So the banana troubles passed quickly. One day off the nana train, and the poop train was back on the tracks. So now we know, all nanas all the time, not such a good idea. Nanas in moderation, as with all the good things in life.

We tried avocado yesterday. As I said before, I do not care for avocados that much. Maybe if dressed up (read: disguised) as guac its ok. But plain avocado? Yuck. So I mashed up a ripe avocado half for the Critter, and tasted it. Still yuck. But I figured, hey, people like this (unlike baby rice library paste) so I fed some to the Critter.

The face she made was priceless. It closely resembled the face I made when I tried it 2 minutes earlier. Yuck.

I saved some for Mr. p to try, to make sure it wasn't just a bad avocado. Nope, that's the way avocado tastes, he said. Yuck, replied me and the Critter. My theory holds true, if Mommy likes it, the Critter generally does too. If Mommy thinks yuck, so does the Critter. And no, the Critter does not see or hear me saying yuck, she comes by her yuck honestly.

So we ate peas instead. Totally not yuck. Yum! Apples and pears to come.

The Dark Side of Nanas

Before we go to the dark side, just to document, my Auntie has come for a real visit. Last time I was merely crying wolf, just spotting a tiny bit. But this, this is the real deal. My first need for the green tampons since late January 2010. It's been awhile. It's funny, when I began with full flow, I thought to myself, "Well, that is a real flow. Almost like what a fertile person would have. Maybe..." and then I fell off my chair laughing. Because we all know flow does not a fertile make. But it seems like it would, sorta, right? Hahahahahaha.

Anyway, the Critter feeding diaries continue. While she loves her bananas, they on the other hand, do not care for her so much. We did the standard three day new food trial, so she ate banana for three evenings. That was too much nana. Now she is ummm...backed up. She actually had her first solid poop yesterday, two of them in fact. Like it could roll right out of the diaper. (Sorry if this is TMI, I don't know what it is about new parents' obsession about poop, but we just can't help it. My friend says we all become shitologists. True that.)

And last night, she refused her peas and sweet taters. Which is new. I think she is feeling backed up, and the food doesn't help. So we might start the prune juice thing again today if she doesn't improve. Poor girl.

BaNananananas!!

The weekend was non-eventful. I saw my parents Friday afternoon, where the Critter cried any time she was held by my dad. It was pretty funny actually, everyone else was ok, but seeing him - all tears.

He came back Sunday afternoon for a quick visit, and the Critter was all smiles to him, so he was happy. That was it - two quick visits, no horridness. We have made plans to go Back East in August and see them and my mom. Not going to think about that yet, it is just overwhelming to consider the first airplane ride, etc.

So let's talk BANANAS instead. The Critter LOVESLOVESLOVES bananas. Oh my, she is so happy when eating bananas. She makes actual yummy noises. She opens her mouth so wide, so the person feeding her will not miss. She barely dribbles.

And what a perfect baby food - just take ripe 'nanas (they need to be mostly brown-speckled, no under-ripe 'nanas please!), mash them up with a fork, and voila! They become the perfect textured mush for babies. It will be a good travel food, easy through security.

And we did our first combo, of sweet tater and peas yesterday, and that went over very well. She is become really good at this eating thing. Today will be avocado. I'm not a huge fan of avocado, but I think she'll dig it. We'll see.

It has been so much fun feeding her. I am really loving it. Trying new foods, watching her expression when she tries a new flavor or texture, it is just so precious. It really is so much fun.

They're baaack!

Yup. They are returning.

My father and step-mother are visiting this weekend. Joy.

In case you forgot the disaster that was the last time they were here, here's a quick recap: My dad called me fat, and Mr. P an incompetent parent, and my step-mom called the Critter deformed.

So it was really fun! Not.

Anyway, they are back in town for a visit this weekend, and I'm try to be positive about it. They are actually coming in town for a meeting my dad needs to attend, so I may only see him once or twice. And I'm hoping that means seeing my step-mom only those times too.

Ugh, it is just so hard. I'm conflicted. I really want them to see the Critter, and spend time with her, and get to know her some, but at the same time, I want to protect us all from the narcissism that is my dad and step-mom.

Wish us all luck. We'll need it.