Winter Break - a play in one act

Scene: Two young girls have been sent to their room with various chores to complete as a consequence of some unpleasant behavior. No chores are actually being done. Mother is sitting at the computer, listening to the non-choreness.

Smaller Child (emerges from bedroom wearing a police badge and hands Mother this note):

Mother: What am I under arrest for?
Smaller Child: For making us do chores (maniacal laughter, child returns to bedroom, whispers a report to Older Child)

Older Child: (loud stage whisper): Go out there and scream at Mommy and then run back in there
Mother (loud bellow): ANYONE WHO SCREAMS AT MOMMY WILL END UP IN TIME OUT!

(silence)

Smaller Child (comes back to Mother full of giggles and wordlessly hands her another note):

Mother silently bangs her head on the keyboard.

End scene

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins a la Leigh

I've been sitting on this recipe for two years (and have probably had Leigh send it to me four or five times) but finally got off my heiny and made it! I have Leigh Schmidt to thank for this lovely recipe and I just need to share.

I think next time I will halve the chocolate chips - it would also be fantastic without them.


Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Prep 10 minutes    Baking time 16-20m per oven batch (I had to bake in two batches)
makes 36 standard size muffins

4 eggs
2c sugar
16oz can of pumpkin
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil (can sub applesauce for up to 1/2 the oil)
3c flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
(I added 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice in addition)
2c chocolate chips

In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil until smooth.

In another bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Add to pumpkin mixture, mix well.

Fold in chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups 3/4 full.

Bake at 400° for 16-20 minutes or until done.
Cool in pan for 10 minutes then remove to wire rack. (Huh. I didn't see this part.)

These are phenomenal - a new permanent addition to my cook book! Thanks LBD!!

At 6am

Maddie: Mom, can I have goldfish?

Self: No Maddie. You can have cereal. It's morning - no snacks until after breakfast. Would you like to watch Arthur? Cat in the Hat is ending and it's on after that.

Maddie: Ok, Mommy. Are these Grammy's knitting needles?

Self: Yes, Maddie. Please don't touch them, they are longer than mine and I don't want you to get hurt.

Maddie: Can I have an oreo?

Self (fetching cereal): No Maddie. You can have cereal. It's morning - no snacks until after breakfast.

Maddie (has fetched and is now playing with the 14" long knitting needles): Mom, you said you were putting on Arthur. The Cat in the Hat is on ... but it's ending!

Self (articulating very precisely and retrieving needles): MADELINE. I said please do not play with Grammy's needles. And yes, Maddie. Cat in the Hat is ending, Arthur is coming on.

Maddie: Mom, can I have an Oreo?

Self: MADDIE. There is a bowl of cereal in your lap. IT IS DARK OUT. NO.

(pause while I take a deep breathe... glance back over)

Self: MADELINE. GIVE me the plastic hanger, get it out of your ear and eat your breakfast.

Maddie (muttering darkly): Now I have nuthin to play with.

Self (tossing a toy in the vicinity of her lap): Here, love, have a baby doll. It's not sharp.

Maddie: Mom! Wait!! .... Can I have an Oreo?

Gonna take a sentimental journey...

...Gonna set my heart at ease.
Gonna make a Sentimental Journey,
to renew old memories...

(quoted from http://www.thesjo.com/pages/dorisday.htm)

In December 2007 I wrote a post on TheBabywearer.com ... for years I was part of an amazing online babywearing community. As first a poster, then later a Boston Babywearers leader, baby carrier retailer, instructor I eventually enjoyed helping TheBabywearer.com as a moderator for the Disabilities, Special Needs, Chronic Illness and Babywearing  forum. It was an active, vibrant part of my life and I am constantly grateful for the amazing gifts babywearing gave my family, along with the amazing friendships I developed.

I'm copying that post over here (and adding on to it) to save it for myself. It's a scrapbook of pictures of a  time I will never forget. For folks who aren't carrier geeks, you won't get what I mean by the carrier names but I hope you enjoy the pictures. You really don't need to look at them all but oh come on ... some of you will. You know who you are!

As a side note, the positioning in many of the early pictures is NOT considered safe by today's standards - precisely why educational groups like Babywearing International and online communities such as TheBabywearer.com are so vital.

Audrey in Rosado - 1 wk old

Audrey with Maid-of-Honor Mommy at her Auntie Carolyn's wedding (almost 4wks old)

Audrey at The Butterfly Place

Audrey in my Ultimate Baby Wrap (don't buy one) and in Daddy's Rosado

Audrey in Sachi Meitai - my first back carry!

Audrey in GypsyMama Poncho (or Melissa dressed as a foothill)

My first back-wrap - Audrey in Storch Ulli

Audrey in Didymos Katja

Audrey wrapping Mickey in a long silk

Audrey in Didy Swing

Audrey in Didymos Fabian and Bjoern

Audrey in Bara Barn Cornflower

Audrey in Bara Barn Chili, Maddie in my tummy at the Cape

Audrey in Didymos Altarosa, Maddie in Tummy ... followed by DH under Altarosa and Audrey on Altarosa...

Audrey in Vatanai Teesta, Maddie in tummy

Audrey on mommy, Maddie in tummy at King Richard's Faire

Hospital stash for Maddie's birth (bottom lt, peanut shell fleece, top lt nat brown indio DIY RS, lt to rt, perlmutt indio, teesta, katya)

Maddie's first wrapjob in Didymos Perlmutt, at 3 days

Leaving the hospital in Peanut Shell (Maddie 5 days)

Maddie at 1 wk 

Maddie's first back carry in Ellaroo Podaegi

Maddie - yep she's really in there (3wks)

Maddie at Stone Zoo Lights. I needed a scarf. (4wks)

Maddie in Vatanai Koira (5wks)

Maddie w/Bridesmaid Mommy in custom Kalea at Uncle Teddy's Wedding (6wks)

Maddie in very special handmade podaegi (6 wks) on Christmas Eve

Happy Maddie!

Audrey in Vatanai Pamir

Maddie in Nori babywearing vest

Maddie asleep w/katja at LLL conference

Maddie, a wrap and a cougar

Maddie in Travelling Tamvickle

Maddie in my very special Taitasi

Maddie after her Christening 

Gore Place Sheepshearing Festival 2007

Maddie (asleep), Paul and I swing dancing in Didymos Bleu Indio at Amy's wedding

Daddy and Maddie at the Stone Zoo

Maddie in Calin Bleu at the Cape and raspberry picking at Brooksby Farm

Audrey in a Ten Toes MT

Audrey bouncing her baby in pouch...

Maddie playing safe in Didymos Kobalt Nino w/wool

 at a Nahant beach clean up(taken by Audrey), Audrey same day)

Maddie 4th of July

At the Butterfly place - 3 years after the first time

Me and my girls, in Didymos Zyklam ... Happy Holidays!

DH and Maddie in Green/black/white indio - his favorite - at the Roger Williams Zoo, and another with both girls....

After 8 weeks unable to babywear due to a serious injury, my doc ok'd short duration wearing...

Maddie at 16m in our favorite snuggle wrap ... Calin Bleu Fleece Candy Stripe...you have no idea what this picture means to me! Well maybe you do - posting it even tho it isn't the most flattering

3 day old niece Lilla in the same wrap

And my sweet nephew Eliot in Laguna Elipsen

almost 4 year old Audrey in her new job as wrap shipper - this earned her a nickle

18m Maddie in our MBD Calyx at the Butterfly Place ... aaaaaaaagain

18m Maddie asleep in Ten Toes mutt

18m Maddieand almost 4 y/o Audrey in arms at the Boys and Girls Club carnival

At a wedding with Maddie in Wendy's dyed Pfau - rockin this ruck in 4in heels!

Audrey wearing that silk again ... age 4

And one sleepless night they BOTH want to be worn ...

  

At the zoo  ... look close and you can see my trusty cane

At a pow-wow 

At the Audobon Society's Garden in The Woods Butterfly Day ... Maddie leading the way with her map in my Naglikti

Maddie asleep in Maruyama at the doctor's office - ruptured eardrum! Amazing doctor did her whole exam while wrapped. March '09

In a fleece blanket after a long day at the beach, April '09

After the Big Apple Circus in Olives in Applesauce, April '09

My last times wearing my littlest one -  February and July, 2010

Maddie age 4y, wearing twins

Wearing my god-daughter, Lorelei Temperance. August, 2011