Four Years Ago

Four years ago today, I was in week three of my doctor-imposed hospital bedrest, hoping against hope that I could get the two little rugrats occupying my uterus just a few weeks closer to full term before they burst into the world. June 9, 2005, was the last day I could entertain those hopes; around 9:00 that night, the contractions kicked into high gear.

As they were wheeling me from my hospital room to a labor and delivery room (just in case!), a nurse asked me how far along I was. "Twenty-eight weeks," I said. She gave me some breathing advice that she said would help me get through the contractions until the C-section to come. "Oh, no," I said. "We're not having these kids yet. It's too early." She gave me a pitying look. She'd seen enough women in labor to know that those kids were coming, whether I liked it or not.

"I think you need to brace yourself for the possibility that you'll be giving birth tonight." She said it kindly, but firmly.

And she was mostly right. About twelve hours later, at 9:10 am and 9:14 am on June 10, 2005, Sophia and Evelyn said hello to the world. We didn't even get to see Sophie in the delivery room -- she was whisked away by the nurses and neonatologists, and I didn't lay eyes on her until hours later. They gave us a quick photo op with tiny, tiny Evie before she was also carried off by the specialists.

And so began the lives of Evelyn and Sophia, with more struggle than most babies have to deal with. I think their challenging beginnings gave them an extra fire, a fighting spirit, and a flare for life, but maybe that's what every mother says. Regardless, they are two vibrant, brilliant, exuberant girls, and while I can't quite believe it's been four years already, I'm so glad they're mine.


Happy birthday to my beautiful girls!

Hey, Oprah! Pay attention!

Oprah needs to read this. You guys should read it, too.

Like Water

I am a child. Here's why:

I've been trying to make some lifestyle and diet changes lately. One of the most compelling reasons for this is that I have developed a vicious case of LPRD, which could theoretically be lessened by some simple changes on my part. (And the proton-pump inhibitors I've been eating like candy are leeching all the calcium out of my bones, which is a bad, bad thing.)

One of the things I could do to help the situation is give up certain foods, such as chocolate.

Let's take a moment and think about how likely that is.

Did you hear that maniacal laughter interspersed with hopeless weeping? Yeah, that was me. You can pry my chocolate from my cold, dead fingers.

Moving On

I've been struggling for some time with an extremely hard decision. After seven years, I've decided to take a break from the Chicago Chamber Choir. I have so much love and affection for the group that leaving it is an extremely upsetting prospect. Since making the decision, I've been processing through the stages of grief, and I think I'm finally at acceptance. I hope to continue my involvement with the group in a non-soprano capacity, and I will definitely be sitting in the audience next season. Truth be told, I've long wanted to hear us from the other side, and now I'll get my chance. So all of you friends who have been loyal supporters -- I hope you'll join me in continuing to support this fine organization. And to all my CCC friends, I love you and I'll miss you!

Missing

I remember the day very clearly: It was December 23, 2008. The temperature never got above 0 degrees F. And yet I had the bright idea to do some holiday shopping at an outdoor mall. (I blame David. The expedition started as a mission to get him some snow boots, and from there it exploded into a full-blown present-hunting trip at Old Orchard.)

I don't know how many times I took my gloves off and put them back on again as we traversed between the freezing sidewalks and over-warm department stores. During one of those transitions, unbeknownst to me, my wedding ring slipped right off. I realized it about half an hour after we left the mall, and by then the ring was gone for good.

That ring, like Airan's, was a simple gold band, nothing fancy. I bought the set in a rushed frenzy, mere weeks before the wedding, while Airan was off gallivanting around the Pacific Northwest with Isabelle Haze. It was a utilitarian ring, pulled into service on short notice and considered to be a place-holder until we got around to finding rings we really liked.

Somehow, I managed to not lose that placeholder ring for eleven and a half years. And despite the fact that it was always a stand-in for some prettier, grander ring I planned to get someday, I find I'd grown rather attached to it. I'm wearing my engagement ring on that finger now, but I'm still occasionally caught off guard when I realize the ring isn't there. I'm gripped with panic all over again -- My ring! Where is it? And then I remember; it's long gone.

Shriners Hospitals in Trouble

Most of you have heard me rave about how wonderful the Shriners Hopsitals are. They take excellent care of Evie and Sophie, but more important is the work they do with kids who are far more sick and who need far more medical attention. The Shriners offer world-class care to kids who really need it, and they don't charge a dime for their services.

I read a very distressing article this weekend -- the Shriners Hospitals are facing budget shortfalls and are considering closing a quarter of their facilities. If things continue as they are, Shriners may be forced to close down all of their hospitals in the next five to seven years.

Times are hard for all of us (trust me, I know!), but if any of you are in a position to send the Shriners $5 or $50 or whatever, please consider helping out. I just sent a meager donation of my own, and I'm going to try to start sending them monthly donations.

Spread the word about how great these hospitals are. Losing the Shriners Hospitals would be a terrible blow, not just for kids with OI, but for all the kids with debilitating conditions and injuries who receive excellent care at these amazing hospitals.

My Little Skeptic

We've had a weekend filled with Easter activities -- and by "Easter activities," I mean the secular celebrations we've come to associate with that holiday. Egg hunts at the park with a costumed Easter Bunny, dying hard-boiled eggs, and waking up to baskets full of candy on Easter morning. As will surprise none of you, we don't attend services or reflect on the religious meaning of this holiday -- when the girls are older, we'll talk about it and encourage them to decide for themselves what they think about it. But for now, Easter is all about the candy.

Still, even the Easter Bunny gives the girls an opportunity to exercise their budding baloney-detection skills.

Last night before bed, after much excited discussion of what the Easter Bunny might leave for the girls to find in the morning, Evie said to me, "Mom, is Easter real or pretend?"

I said, "What do you think?"

"Real! Real! Real!" both girls yelled in reply. And still my heart was glad, because she thought to ask the question in the first place.

Later, Evie was talking about the egg hunt we'd gone to that morning: "And there was a guy in a white Easter Bunny costume!" She wasn't fooled -- she saw right through that fluffy costume to the human underneath.

I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to watching these kids explore and consider the world around them, reveling in the wonder and joy while setting aside superstition. It's very important to me that they choose their own path and find their own way, but I think we're off to an excellent start!

Adventures in Community-Supported Agriculture

I've long been curious about community-supported agriculture (CSA). I love the idea of getting regular shipments of fresh produce, whatever's in season, and planning our meals around the ever-changing bounty. After a bit of research, I decided to give Irv and Shelly's Fresh Picks a try. They dropped off my first batch of fruits and veggies this afternoon (along with a pound of coffee beans):



This delightful shipment includes

red potatoes
carrots
bok choy
fennel
kale
lettuce (unidentified variety)
cherry tomatoes
strawberries
tangelos
pears (bartlett and d'anjou)
kiwis
apples (cripps pink and granny smith)

I was most pleased to discover that the quality is excellent. I believe I've complained before about Peapod and their terrible produce. I've become suspicious of delivered produce that I can't choose for myself. But this was all in excellent shape.

Now, friends, I need some recipes for bok choy, fennel, and kale. I have no idea what to do with them. Help!!

The Latest Cake Project

For David's birthday today, I made a mille crepes cake (using this recipe from my favorite food blog, Smitten Kitchen). I didn't put my decorating skills to work on this one -- how exactly do you decorate a mille crepes cake? I tried to sprinkle sugar on top and caramelize it with a culinary torch, as the recipe suggests, but it didn't really work. The sugar didn't caramelize fast enough, and the top layer was starting to scorch. In the end, with that sparkly sugar on top of an otherwise beige cake, it ends up looking a lot like a sesame-seed bun:



The side view is a bit more attractive, if rather sloppy:



But the inside is what looks really cool:


Oh, and it tasted pretty decent, too.

Cozumel, by the numbers

Hours spent in flight total: 8

Minutes spent running through the airport to catch our first flight: 15 (a very fun run with two three-year-olds and a bunch of luggage)

Average temperature in Cozumel: 75

Average water temperature in the resort swimming pools: 32

Times the sound system at the swimming pools played "Copacabana," immediately followed by Smash Mouth's "All Star": Eleventy billion

Rainstorms: 2

Dolphins kissed: 1

Members of the family who upchucked at least once: 3

Friends made by the girls: 5

Parents of those new friends who are now my Enemies For Life: at least 2

Car seat laws in Mexico: none, apparently

Taxis in Mexico that have no seat belts: at least half

Timeshares purchased: zero

Animal sculptures our maid crafted from bathroom towels: 5 (stunning, every one)

Time each morning when the twins woke up, announced that it was "awake time," and threw aside the dark curtains to let in the oh-so-bright Cozumel sunlight: 6:00 am

Submarine adventures: 1

Wildlife spotted: numerous iguanas, flamingos, peacocks, fish, turtles, cats...

Good times had by all: countless