So sorry

I am so sorry. It's been hectic around here. My parents came in for two days so we were on the go with Momo or Mimi or whatever my mom wants to be called. Run, run, run. We went shopping for shoes for the little buddy. (She's gone from Gigi, Mere, Mimi to Momo) The shoe lady told us he doesn't need shoes until he is walking well. But I worry about his feet getting dirty or diseased. He took a jaunt down the sidewalk today and had a fantabulous time. He found a dead locust and some pretty leaves. Back to the shoe lady. Not very nice. You'd think she would be a bit more enamored with children considering she owns a children's clothes store. Not. But it's been around forever and she knows what she's doing I guess. I still want shoes for him. His feet are getting super dirty. Then I took him to play in the yard at my parents house. I knew this little toddler once who was scared of grass. I thought it was ridiculous. Well guess what? No part of grass. He loved splashing his feet in the pool. But no part of the grass.

I got kind of teary eyed when my parents left. They were only here two days but it made me realize how much fun it is having them around to watch W grow up. I know it doesn't all revolve around him but he sure does love Momo and Papa.

p.s. I just tried putting those Robeez things on him. He kept falling all over himself. I guess I'll keep him barefoot for awhile.

Yeah You Right!

What kind of NOLA mom would I be if I didn't say

WHO DAT?!?

I am sure I will be eating my words tomorrow. But if I don't have to I will be a happy fan.

Sleepless in NOLA

I know something is wrong when W is not sleeping at night. He was up all night and so was I. 6:30 came quickly. When I woke up after 2hours of sleep and said that last night was a nightmare, J said, "Why?" I don't know how he does it but luckily for him he can sleep through it all. I was really worried. All sorts of things go through your head in the middle of the night. Did that fall give him a concussion? Is the heavy cream yogurt I gave him because I couldn't find regular tearing his stomach apart. Still not sure what the problem was but now I believe it's teething. He sure does have a lot of teeth coming in.

I went to the dermatologist this morning. J's office was closed unexpectantly due to some kind of fire so I didn't have to bring the baby. A huge relief and I have been dancing around all morning about having him for a long weekend even if it means he is working from home. It's nice to have him around. Anyway, two of my fingertips are really raw and cracked. I thought it was a fungus of some sort. Gross, but turns out it is just really dry skin. The doctor asked what my profession was? I told her, Mom. She said that explained it. I wash my hands too much. It's not necessary. W will live through a bit of dirt I guess and it was kind of a relief. I feel so much pressure to always have my hands and his clean. I carry around wet wipes and antibacterial stuff and wash, wash, wash. All the time. I don't use lotion because I wash my hands so much, what's the point? One of the creams she suggested was Aquaphor made by Eucerin. It's heavy duty and acts as a barrier to water. Anyway, I've used it once but it feels really good. You can get it on amazon-see link- or you can buy it at CVS in a smaller tube, which is where I got it.

I guess I should put a disclaimer about washing your hands. That's just what she said and I am going with it. But I am sure there are all kinds of opinions out there about hand washing.

Oh. The Saints game is on Monday night football as I am sure everyone knows. I am not particularly excited about the game but everyone else seems to be. J is going to make chicken wings and we have an 80 pound bag of Ore Ida fries in the freezer (long story) so I think I will make cheese fries. Just what I need. But if you can't be excited about the game we can atleast be excited about something.

CHEEEEEESE! That one was for bob.

TV

Just caught up on a few new shows. J is wondering why I am so excited about this season.
Just watched
Biggest Loser-haven't finished watching yet. It's good.
The Class-sucked
Studio 60-the best show I've seen in a long while. Can't wait until next week.
Survivor-pretty good-know it's a huge controversy-makes me want to watch it more
Amazing Race-cannot get enough of the teams-they are all great

But Studio 60 wins it hands down. It's similar to West Wing like everyone says but truly the most engaging show I've seen in awhile. I encourage everyone to catch it next week.

Wahoooooooo!

W seems to be back on the road to eating. I've been getting him to eat prunes. and today he not only ate a Pillsbury Cinnamon Roll at playgroup, he also ate a pb&j Uncrustable. The key is to not put him in the highchair. I think it gets him all wound up for a fight with me so I snuck up behind him while he was playing and started feeding it to him. Is that so sad? I was talking to my dad and he was all in a wad that it's white bread, not whole wheat. I probably would have been in a wad about it a year ago but right now I am thankful if he eats anything including the 6 Nilla Wafers he ate in one sitting yesterday. Atleast the Uncrustable has peanutbutter.

Next try, Uncrustable Grilled Cheese.

Check out Wednesday Wine Down

I posted a new wine. It's one of our favorites. Smooth drinking. J is obsessed with Pinotages (which this isn't) lately. He bought one about two months ago which was horrific. We couldn't even drink it. We drink anything. Then I bought the same bottle a month later not realizing it was the same bottle. It hadn't gotten any better. Last week he bought another bottle. That was bad. NO luck on the pinotages and I know there are good ones out there. Anyway, I like all of Fife's wines.

The Wedding Band

Oh my gosh! Great idea. I just found this on coochicoos website. a band for when your rings don't fit when you are pregnant. I cannot tell you how many people still talk about how long their rings fit, when they had to stop wearing them while pregnant etc. I don't necessarily like the look but it's the perfect idea. I should have come up with it myself!!!

Also on it today are modern flashcards for kids. Something new, something different.

And for all those moms who stockpile baby food, check out the food bottle storage holder. It's exactly what you need.

Oh, the weather outside....

is BEAUTIFUL!!!

Finally, fall in New Orleans! the most heavenly time of year. I love it. For weeks now they have been saying to expect a cool front. This time they were right. If only he was really running. Then the park would be our second home. He still doesn't like swinging although yesterday instead of a full blown cry, he gave me a half laugh, half cry while swinging. Hopefully, one of these days he will come around.

Why?

Why I continue to go to the same coffee house everyday and subject myself to the rantings of people in a bad mood? I do not know.

Today, we got our coffee and sat outside because no one else was out there and it was a relatively cool, breezy morning. W was just enjoying the people watching and the man down the way was hosing down the storefronts. He was mesmerized by the hose. Then a few minutes later, the same hose spraying man said,

"Get out of the way."
Me, "Excuse me?"
"Get out of the way, I need to spray there."
Me, silence. I was stunned not only that he told a paying customer to get out of the way but with his tone of voice.
"Get out of the way."
Me, "I'm enjoying my coffee. We'll leave in a few minutes."
"Okay." Then he slowly started spraying closer and closer. If I hadn't left we would now be sopping wet.

Belly full o milk

In an effort to find something fun to do yesterday while Dad was working, we started playing with the kitchen sink faucet. Before I knew it, W had scooted his whole self into the full sink so I just stripped him down and let him go crazy. Notice the belly. It was full. He had just finished a bottle. I love it when that belly is full.

We went to the playground Friday afternoon. He still does not like the swings. It makes me sad because it's such a simple pleasure and I hate that he is missing out on it. So while his friend swang, swung, swinged? we played on the platform of the slide. He was perfectly content and could have stayed there forever with his newly found leaf. We went to Superior for dinner, again. I went ahead of everyone to get a table. I was like 6th in line to put my name in and atleast an hour wait and we got a table!!!! I swear it's because I'm a regular. It was awesome. So within 5 minutes I was sitting at a table, giving W Nilla Wafers and drinking a top shelp margarita.

Dad's at work today so it's just the two of us. He's been walking like a fiend. It's so fun. It's been a long time coming. People say they take a step and off they go-not for us. He's been cruising since 6 months and taking free steps since July. I just can't believe it though. The table he used to stand under is now at his chin. His feet are big, too big and his thumb fingernail is gargantuan. For some reason his fingernails are always how I notice how big he is getting. They were so itty bitty when he was born.

We found the pictures when we evacuated. I thought they had been lost forever. Oh my gosh. I cannot believe he was ever that small and I was actually pretty skinny for having a baby 10 days earlier, skinnier than I am now not to mention the fact that I was smiling like there was no tomorrow, and like hurricanes didn't exist. Crazy.

Super Mom

I feel like a bad mom. I am such a person of habit and I am worried that it will bring my baby down. We do pretty much the same thing everyday with a play group and play dates thrown in there from time to time. This afternoon we went walking because it was only 90 degrees with 99% humidity instead of 91 degrees and 100% humidity. But that was the "mix it up" of the day. I don't go to singing at the Parenting Center anymore because I feel like he always got sick from there. So we don't sing, we don't have any real "developmental" time and coffee and grocery shopping is his only stimulation. Storytime and gym rompers are on the same day as other things and I cannot make myself get into a bathing suit for swim lessons with strangers. What should I do? What should we do? What should moms do? I don't believe that we need to be scheduled with classes and structured activities all of the time but I wish there was something, anything, just one thing that fit in with our schedule.

Restaurants in NOLA with highchairs

Okay, my friends, I've done some research per your request and have come up with a short list of restaurants that have highchairs. I can't vouch for their condition but I am certain the following restaurants/food service places have highchairs. I have either called the restaurant or have been there in the past month. I didn't ask how many they had but it did sound as if they all had more than one.

I speak for all moms when I say that I welcome any additions to the list because it is an important and necessary topic. I started off with mainly uptown because the mom who asked lives in the area. I will certainly continue to add to the list periodically.

Cafe Rani-Magazine
Reginellis-all locations
Theo's Pizza
Superior Grill
Byblos-Magazine
Sake Cafe-Magazine
Basil Leaf
Bravo-Veterans
Wow Wingery-Magazine
Felix's-Prytania
Crepe Nanou!!!! I am still not sure if I would bring the little buddy but I called anyway just out of curiosity.
Audubon Golf Club
CC's Coffee House on Magazine and Jefferson
P.J.'s only has 1
Juan's Flying Burrito only has 1 and it's broken

I am here for my public and love being able to help other moms and find answers to questions because I certainly don't have any answers. Ask and you shall receive!!!

What?

that's probably how J wants to answer the phone this afternoon because I have called him a gazillion times. I am sooooooooooooo bored. Some afternoons...atleast W is napping. Yesterday he wouldn't nap and we had nothing to do. With school in now, traffic is horrendous at this time so I really don't want to go anywhere. But today, we exhausted our options. I gave him a long bath and we went for a drive-pitiful-just drove around. I don't want to go to the Parenting Center because I don't want him to get sick. Why isn't there more to do in the afternoons? If there is something, I don't know about it. All of the story times and gym rompers are in the mornings.

What are these gnats everwhere? I thought it was just my house but it was deep cleaned yesterday and I cleaned the kitchen twice today and they are everywhere-the trash is out-and L said she has them too! Driving me nuts!!! Is it New Orleans? the air? you know what, it's not the south wind from the river-haven't smelled that in awhile-not since Katrina actually. Maybe that's one good thing that came out of that. Anway....I probably should keep my mouth shut because it's not good NOLA PR and we definitely need that around this city.

Shopping

I know I don't write much about shopping but this new blog I love, Holly's Plate, mentionned these days of the week barettes. I think they are adorable for a little girl.

Now that I am talking about blogs, have I mentionned my most favorite one? for those who love design and shopping and cool things, decor8. I am not sure how I happened upon it but I visit it everyday. It has so much on it-I just never have enough time.

Momfidence?

There was an article about this book in the paper today and it also has a corresponding website. It's a bit corny, the name but it makes sense. It's about having fun and enjoying your kids. The author in a nutshell thinks moms today are too paranoid and overprotective about everything. I agree with her to a point and strongly agree that kids are fun and you should enjoy them while you can. Check it out www.momfidence.com

Someone asked me to post restaurants that had highchairs. She had gone to Juan's Flying Burrito with another couple and baby and they only had one-and it was broken. Unacceptable I tell ya. It's the same thing at P.J.'s on Tchop. One highchair, 20 moms fighting over it. How much can they cost? and they are stackable so they take up hardly any room. Can you hear me P.J.'s and Juan's Flying Burriot? THEY TAKE UP HARDLY ANY ROOM! and I will give you the $30 bucks they probably cost if I haven't already made up for it in my coffee purchases. A lady yesterday shanghai'd the chair from me because W was sitting on my lap and then her baby wouldn't even sit in it. So, my friend, yes, I will gladly check out some dining establishments and post the ones that have highchairs. Stay tuned.

Neurotic, nosy busy body

That's me. The doctor (who thinks I am a neurotic mom) told me not to worry about W eating. He said give a multivitamin in his milk and offer him nutritious food (which I do, hello! or did until he wouldn't eat anything and got tired of trying and resigned myself to giving him Nilla wafers).
C doesn't eat anything either. I met a mom today at Whole Foods who has a baby W's age. Not only does the doctor think I am neurotic but this very nice mom thinks I am one of those abnoxious nosy mom's who talks to anybody and everybody, which I am. Anyway, I asked her if her baby ate and she said no. So now I have 1 doctor's opinion and 2 other moms who are in the same boat. I feel better.

What's goin' on

What's goin' on around town this week

The Louisiana Children's Museum is celebrating 20 years this Saturday. They are going to have music, storytelling, clowns and more. I've only been for a fundraiser there but it sounds like something fun to do this weekend. Fun for the entire family! Admission is $7...420 Julia Street

Signing for Tots-this sounds cool-teaching your toddler how to communicate through signing. Registering now for classes for 8 months and up. 32 Killdeer Street in New Orleans for 6 one hour sessions. 861-9404

Infancy to Independence. I know moms who participate in I to I program in Lakeview and love it. They have meeting Uptown, River Ridge, Lakeview and the West Bank. go to their website for more information

Storytelling Around Town. I really want to do this but none of the days work for me. It's story time at the libraries. Latter Library uptown at 5120 St. Charles on Tuesdays at 10:30, Wednesdays at 10:30 at the Children's Resource Center uptown (913 Napoleon Ave.)

Advice for my son

We tried to order from Five Happiness last night. They were closed!!! It was Sunday night! So we called August Moon, reluctantly. CLOSED! How are they staying in business? When else do people eat Chinese Food? I thought it was a Sunday night thing and so did my mom. She was just as shocked when I told her they were closed on Sunday. Her response was, "Sunday? that's when you eat Chinese food." Maybe it's a family thing but that's when we ate Chinese in college too, Sundays. I'm outraged. I do know that China Orchid is open. We made the mistake of ordering from there one Sunday, of course, when we thought Five Happiness just hadn't reopened yet. It was very unappetizing. My next choice was... you guessed it...Mexican but J is a bit od'd on it, I think. I have heard there is a good place on Vets but I'd rather just eat Mexican before I drive too far on a Sunday night. Maybe that's enough to get J to drive out there though. So we ended up with Theo's. Delicious as always. They got our salad order wrong, but the pizza more than made up for it.

Oh, so my advice to W once he grows up and goes away to college:

Pick a different night for Chinese eating and you won't be dissapointed.

W has been laughing a lot this weekend and I just melt every time. This morning was a particularly hard morning. We went out last night-really whooped it up-the first time in a long time so 6am came too soon. But his belly laughs kept me going (or atleast on the couch awake) until naptime.

He's been running laps around the coffee table all day. A good way to tire him out. Has anyone been to the art class at the Parenting Center? Sounds fun, might try it.

I found an article in this month's issue of Parents Magazine about finger foods. As you know if you've read prior posts, eating is an issue over here. Now it's worse than ever. He will only eat a few things. And it's an issue for me because I eat everything he doesn't. The only nutrional thing is bananas and he is on whole milk now so he's not getting the nutrients from formula. The article is a 3 page spread on different finger foods to try. It also says that it can take 10 times for a toddler to like the taste of a new food. I'll try scrambled eggs again-for the 4th time. Sliced grapes was another suggestion and whole grain waffles cut up. A lot of good ideas so if you're in my boat, check it out.

I'm glad the weekend is over. I'm tired and ready to get back to eating healthy.
I'm sad the weekend is over because J and I had such a good weekend together. I hope he feels the same way. He did most of the caretaking-he's a great daddy.

I've been remiss

in writing the past few days. I had an awesome post last night but I lost it and now I don't have the energy to recreate. Well, I'll try. I read a blog about Bugaboo strollers. about how they are far superior to all others. I don't agree. The said that although they are $700 they hold up so well that when you are done using it you can sell it on ebay for $500. Yeah, right! Not that it's not true, just who in the hell is going to all that trouble. Maybe you will. I would have great intentions but would never get around to it. My Graco metrolite works wonderfully well. We evacuated with it, and we still travel with it. Now, maybe if you are a new yorker you need something heavy duty and chic and expensive but the only place I use is when we are travelling or going to the mall (don't go to the mall very much because it makes me anxious just thinking about it). When we evacuated for the final time to Baton Rouge it did come in handy when I was parking in the big Whole Foods parking lot and wanted to stroll around the fancy strip mall (it's sad but it was often the highlight of my day!) But in New Orleans, unless you don't have a car, you are out of your car into a shop or a grocery store or whatever, no need for a stroller. and the streets are too bad to stroll around with a non-jog stroller anyway. I do use it at the zoo and it's perfect. Lots of storage space, cup holders too. My only beef is the canopy could be fuller because depending on the time of day the sun gets in W's eyes.

Opinions, please. That's mine.

Things to know

• I know that fall is almost here and there seems to be a lot of things kicking off. If you know anything else that I don't know, please share.

Boo at the Zoo
Symphony in the Park-September 24
There's a $6 charge this year but it's well worth it to support the LPO
Gym Rompers fall classes
Wee Wonders fall semester
Parenting Center-they have a ton of classes it seems like-I got a mailing with all of the new stuff.

• I know that W is now facing forward in a brand new barka lounger. I would love it I were riding around in style.

It's a Britax Marathon and I got it from a great website. They are obviously extremely customer oriented because I talked to them on the phone to see if it had shipped after Toys R Us randomly cancelled my order then sent the seat anyway. Oops-I deleted the website. I'll find it and post later.

• I know that W is walking like there is no tomorrow. Well, he's walking like there is a tomorrow. He only walks when he feels it's a must but he can walk and walk far.

• I know that he and C got in a bit of a scuffle over the tupperware drawer yesterday. He lost (not without a fight, mind you) and slipped, getting his face stuck under the corner and has a scratch on his mouth. They are one for one right now.
  

• I know that he doesn't eat much except a whole bunch of Nilla Wafers. What I don't know is if I should be worried.

• I know that he's getting older because when he belly laughs I can tell what his laugh will be like when he's older. I don't know if that makes sense.

• I know that he's sopping wet all of the time from teething.

• I know that I love seeing mom's that I know with babies, even if the baby is not with them
• 
  
• I know that I hate when I see mom's that I know with babies who don't want to brag about their children.
• I know that my spacing is not right with these bullet points.
• I know that I loooove so many of W's pictures that Trisha took that I can't choose which ones to buy
• I know that I am super excited for fall so that we can do things outside!
• I know I am rambling so I'll stop now.
  

This one's for Jean

I looooooooove my birthday. I don't like getting older but I love the day because it's one day that can be all about me. Really the only other daythat is all about you is your wedding. Mother's day doesn't really count because it's really about the family. So what happened yesterday made me sad because I know how much birthdays mean. One of my oldest and dearest friend's birthday was yesterday. I didn't forget. Really. I knew it was on the 5th. So I went about my day and tried to call her twice. But she's changed her cell phone number from the one she had for 20 years and I couldn't get the area code right. One time I got a man named Peter, I think. The other, nothing. But then! Relief! I realized it wasn't the 5th, it was the 4th so I had time to find the right area code. Whew. Last night I went to look at my calendar for whatever reason....IT'S THE 5TH!....AND 11:30pm EST! she lives in Boston. But I made it-she answered the phone and all was well. I am sorry, Jeanie, that you thought I didn't remember. and I hope you had a great whoopin' it up night!