Month: March 2009

The Samantha Years

Did she tempt the gods?

Hschichie

There is such a thing as tempting the gods. Talking too much, too soon and with too much self-satisfaction has always seemed to me a sure way to court disaster. The forces of retribution are always listening. They never sleep.
Meg Greenfield

Perhaps it’s because Mama tempted the Gods the last two weeks with her revealing in the sun…shoosing in the snow. Perhaps she did talk too much with too much self-satisfaction. The blame has to fall somewhere and I think it should duely go to the one who had the most fun. Look at those pictures below….she was clearly having the most fun.

We are back again; enjoying the view from the 8th floor at Children’s. Well Mama and Daddy are…I’m taking a much needed snooze.

It looks like that nasty MRSA bug has gotten the best of my ear. This time it switched things up a bit and decided to go for the left instead of the right. Never, ever a dull moment.

Mama and the staff all seem to be behaving themselves and we’re hoping for a short stay.

We’ll keep you posted.

Samantha and her gang

The Samantha Years

I’m not gloating….just pretty darn lucky…

Hschichie

I’m posting ski pics….again.

Because I had a great ski day….again.

I’m not gloating….well I don’t mean to. I’m more giddy….I’m like a crack addict getting her fix…seriously. A good bump run, the sun on my face, the smell of pine…good living. I also got to ski with my husband which doesn’t happen too often unless we can get a condo AND try to convince one of the Grandparents to come up with us AND convince them that the skiing really isn’t that great AND they would be much happier in the condo with two year old.

It’s a long list….with a lot of caveats. It’s a list with a seizure protocol, tube feedings and a cell phone never out of sight. They still do it…I’m pretty darn lucky.

And they’re cute too aren’t they?

And they love Samantha to pieces.

How lucky are we?

So we strapped on our boards and I pretended I was Lindsay Vonn and forgot I was a mom. Yes, I know Lindsay Vonn is decades younger than me but this is my day off. I can pretend to be whoever I want.

My husband and I raced down the mountain like giddy prom dates, like courting polar bears, like flirting kangaroos, like….well we had a good time.

And then we met the babysitters/grandparents for a beer.

I might be gloating a touch.

The Samantha Years

Freeeeeeedooooommmm!!!!

Hschichie

Freedom is just chaos, with better lighting. ALAN DEAN FOSTER, To the Vanishing Point

What happens when you take three moms with young children, a day out without those children, sun, snow, mountain air and green beer?

It isn’t pretty….

But it’s fun.

Who are those men?

We tried to ski but everything was closed 🙂

You set these ladies free….and it’s chaos…with much better lighting.

These days set me free. These days are good for my soul. These days remind me to embrace my life.

To quote our little Braveheart….”It’s all for nothing if you don’t have freedom”

Go Braveheart, go

The Samantha Years

The many uses of my blender

Hschichie

So, back in the day, my blender was based on it’s ice-crushing abilities. How quickly can it make my marg a smooth, frothy, lip-smackin beverage? Can it meet these requirements many, many times during a Cinco De Mayo party without smoking, jamming or developing a funky smell?

My needs were simple.

The other day I learned something new.

Wait for this one.

You wouldn’t believe it……

A blender can be used for food.

Ewwwwwww…..

Who in there right mind would want to blend their food?

Me.

Kind of.

When I became pregnant with Samantha, I had dreams of making my own organic baby food. I would be a Whole Foods mama, shifting nervously over fresh veggies, smelling, squeezing, picking, poking. It would be fabulous.

When Samantha had to be tube fed, I put those visions on hold. When Samantha went on the ketogenic diet I resigned myself to the fact her diet would consist of something out of can; pre-made by some nutrition based company in Ohio. I couldn’t possilbly put something together that she could eat everyday. It sounded very complicated.

Oh contraire Mama.

The other day a Kind Canadian Ketogenic Mama sent me a recipe for a homemade ketogenic formula. Viola! Samantha’s new diet now consists of:

Olive Oil
Eggs
Odwalla (Organic!) Superfood
Coconut Milk

Not too bad eh? Especially when you think that a year ago she was drinking partially hydrogenated soybean oil. Whip that up in a blender and we are good to go. Ironically, Samantha isn’t nearly as gaggy as she used be. Hmmmm….maybe she thought partially hydrogenated soybean oil was nasty too.

The best part is that I can now look through the eggs, trying to decide if free-range is better than cage free. I can look for the DHA, omega three enriched, happy eggs from happy chickens and live my Whole Foods Mama dream.

As a side note to this dream, I have decided that Whole Foods is hopelessly overpriced so I’m opting for Vitamin Cottage.

And my blender no longer smells like a frat party.

Life is good.