By the book

It has recently come to my attention that not all new parents follow their pediatricians' advice as explicitly and compulsively as we (by which I mean I) do. It seems Nick's co-workers find it very odd that we would conform so exactly to a doctor's instructions when it's so much easier just to do whatever we want.

Really, it should make perfect sense to them if they still remember that I, too, am a doctor. I just happen to see grown-ups, who quite frequently behave like overgrown children. But I digress.

I am a doctor. I know what it's like to talk until I'm blue in the face and all the breath's been sucked out of my chest about what someone can (and ideally should) do to feel better and improve long term outcomes (ie, decrease morbidity and mortality). And no one listens to me. Well, almost no one. There's always the exception that proves the rule. And that individual always returns to clinic and confesses his or her surprise at how my advice or medication regimen really helped. Like I'd waste my time preaching on something that isn't important.

Like me, the pediatrician is only telling me to do it this way because there is some reason that he thinks it important we do so. I would be quite the hypocrite if I then tossed all that advice out the window and started feeding her apple juice and ice cream.

So sorry, Nick. You married not only a doctor but an ardent rule-follower, and follow the rules we shall. Who knows... maybe someday we can lord it over those other parents when our kid eats more vegetables. Or maybe she'll just want chocolate cake. (Do as I say, Ellison, not as I do.)

Won't ya take me down to Sesame Street?

Last weekend's RR3 was lovely. Full of relaxation, laughter, and lots of scrapbooking. Just what the doctor ordered. Somehow, we got talking about all the hype lately around the attachment parenting school of thought. None of us are believers, by the way. This led to a discussion about a magical one-day potty training someone heard about on a talk show (maybe Tyra Banks?) a few years ago. The magical incentive is that for a whole day, every time your toddler goes tinkle in the toilet, he gets a congratulatory phone call from none other than Elmo himself.

A & C, please forgive me for paraphrasing. I might be giving credit to the wrong person for any given sentence, but I was laughing so hard I frankly can't remember who said exactly what.

Me: So, yeah, that probably works. But what about a week later?
Angela: Yeah, the kid probably thinks, "Wow, what's with Elmo? Why doesn't he ever call anymore? I thought we had a good thing." So the kid rebels by peeing in his pants again. Yeah, Elmo might need to keep calling for a while.
Cass: But then isn't it a little weird when Elmo's still calling every time he goes to the bathroom ten years later? "Hey, Elmo, stop calling. Get off my back."
Me: Ha! Elmo's a stalker!

Riotous laughter ensued.

Squeaky clean

Know what can turn Ellison's frown upside down? Bath time! This kid loves the tub. Maybe it takes her back to the good ol' days in the womb, where she was naked, wet, and happy before all this out-in-the-world business started.
Pretty stinkin' cute, huh?

Ulterior motives

Elle, with Auntie Laurie's help, bought me a Mother's Day present. I got not one but two(!) pairs of super cute new earrings, both of which I have already worn enthusiastically this week. I also got a balloon, which I'm beginning to think Elle picked out more for herself than me. Photographic evidence below.

Is she looking at the camera? No. Is she staring at her mommy with loving adoration? Nope. That baby girl wants that balloon so bad she can taste it (and incidentally, she has). And thus starts the life-long feminine obsession with all that sparkles and shines. Poor Nick.

My new normal

A patient wished me a happy Mother's Day at the end of last week. I kinda paused and looked at her and then remembered... Oh yeah! That's me now, not just my own mom.

I won't lie; I kinda miss the selfish freedom I took for granted a year ago. But Ellison is so precious to me; I am addicted to this kid and just can't get enough. I'll even share Nick with her.

Hey, baby

At the rodeo last month. Yes, as a matter of fact, Nick's dinner is the size of her head.

Hit parade

So I just stumbled across this post from several months ago that for some reason never got published. And since I've been a little lacking in posts lately, I'm going to recycle and publish it now. Before you read, remember that I would have been pregnant at the time. Otherwise it won't make sense.

The hits just keep on coming. In a good way.

1) pink and 2) blue in Gizmo's pending room:
Once the samples were slapped on the wall, I selected Watermelon Pink after minimal debate and discussion. And let me just tell you... it's perfect! Fabulous even. Exactly what I was picturing in my head. And it only got better after Nick painted the horizontal aqua stripe. Even more perfect. Even more exactly what I was picturing in my head. Next project will be to sand and re-paint an old end table aqua. The paint might be a bit too high-sheen for the perfectly-weathered look I want, but I think it will still be cute even if we have to go smooth and slick with the paint job.

3) Creamy veggie pasta
For whatever reason I've been super in the mood for both veggies and pasta this week. I don't blame this on Gizmo. I think it's supra-tentorial (medical joke for in my head). Either way, problem solved with a little adaptation on Linguine with Two Cheese Sauce. I recommend a bit more flour to get the sauce nice and thick. Also, I used cream cheese in place of mascarpone because I didn't want to buy a whole container just for a couple measly tablespoons. Oh, and I used penne because I didn't have linguine. Just toss with sauteed veggies of your choice; I used diced summer squash, zucchini, carrots, and wilted fresh spinach. Aaaaanndd... oila! You've got yourself a really-truly-less-than-twenty-minute meal. And it's delicioso, my friends.

4) Gizmo herself
I have had multiple requests for pictures of my preggo self. I have not honored these because while I can honestly look at other pregnant girls and say, " You're not fat, you're PREGNANT!" I just can't apply the same logic to myself. Illogical, yes. But still, I don't like my giant belly as much as I like other girls' giant bellies. However, I finally caved and gave my adoring fans what they wanted. I posted a picture of me and said giant belly on Facebook. I had 6 comments and/or "likes" in less than 3 minutes - up to 19 comments and 8 likes as I type. Either people need to get a life, or my tummy is actually kinda cute. Or both.

Stuff I'm digging (and not)

Being the observant blogger I am, I've noticed the trend of posting about stuff you're doing, what you like, etc. Here's me, jumpin' on the bandwagon.

Stuff I'm totally loving right now:
1) my new make-up primer (Benefit Stay Don't Stray)
Dumb, right? That you need a primer to go between your moisturizer and your eyeshadow? But it totally makes a difference.

2) my family (the baby and the hubby)
Again, it makes absolutely no sense that I would be so attached to a tiny human who makes lots of demands but doesn't do much in return except smile sometimes. But something about coming from my uterus makes me oddly attached to the little goober.
And Nick, well, I just can't help myself. Despite his occasional pony-tail-pulling method to demonstrate his affection, he's my favorite person.
OK, puppies - I know you're feeling left out. I love you, too.

3) bakedbree.com
Don't even remember how I stumbled across this website, but I like everything I've made from it. No duds - now that's a good thing.

4) Pilates
I'm so over Tony Horton. Sorry, buddy, you're just not my thing. Pilates may be chick exercise, but I am, after all, a girl.

5) rheumatology
Let's face it - rheumatologists are just smarter than everyone else. :) And I can fix (almost) anything with steroids.

Stuff I could do without:
1) Highway 288
Wasn't so bad when we lived here before. Now it's a serious beast against which I go to battle every weekday between 6:15 and 6:45 am.

2) ANA by ELISA
Just trust me that it isn't as reliable as ANA by IFA and therefore the source of many an unnecessary consult. Try explaining that they don't have lupus because the "lupus test" isn't actually positive.

3) spit-up and poo
Really any baby bodily fluids for that matter. I guess every silver lining has its cloud, eh?

4) gas prices
When I filled up my first tank of gas in 1998, it cost $0.76/gallon. The extra $3.00/gallon could buy a lot of shoes. A lot.

5) wrinkles
I mean, seriously. I'm only 30. Not fair, world, not fair.