On His Terms
Daniel has taken over the bottom drawer of our filing cabinet for himself. He likes to put his toys and bottles in there for “safe keeping”. I refer to it as his safe deposit box and Jon refers to it as his “bear safe”.
He has also discovered that he can throw things over barriers which made last night REALLY FUN as he decided that sleep was for babies and was just agitated beyond belief that we would make him do such a thing. He finally wound down around 10:30 p.m. with his blankie, stuffed animals, and bottle thrown out of his crib and just him inside. (I went in and replaced everything, covering him up once I knew he was out cold.) Today, he decided to do the same thing when Jon tried to put him down for a nap so I told Jon to just let him sleep wherever he fell, hoping that it would be on carpet and not linoleum. Sure enough…
The paper is a video box that he shredded.
7 Quick Takes: Driving Rules That I Wish People Followed
I’ve been back in California for a year and a half and I’m not sure who is worse: L.A. drivers or Sacramento drivers. There do seem to be some universal rules, however, that both break.
Use your freaking turn signal before changing lanes. I can’t read your mind and believe me, there’s going to be a whole lot going through it (like shards of glass and metal) if you decide randomly to change lanes in front of me and don’t signal first.
Put your *expletive* cell phone down. I wish I had the power to ticket people on the CHP’s behalf because if I did, California wouldn’t have a budget problem. You can’t steer one-handed, as is evidenced by the fact that you’re swerving everywhere. Yes, the people on your left and right are giving you the finger. I would too if I didn’t have my two year old in the car with me.
The parking lot is not your personal autobahn. Yes, I see you have a bright red Mini Cooper with the top down. Judging from your looks, it’s a mid-life crisis car. Trust me sweetie, you don’t look young and hip taking the lanes of parking lots at 60 mph. In fact, you look pretty stupid and the dirty looks you’re getting are from the people who you almost T-boned and the parents of the kids you almost ran over.
The car pool lane is for vehicles with 2+ people (or on some L.A. freeways, 3+). It isn’t for you driving solo in your Hummer, especially during rush hour. I will laugh like a hyena when that motorcycle cop behind you pulls you over because of your inability to count.
Your Chevy Suburban is not a compact car. That parking spot says COMPACT in big letters. That would be my car (Dodge Stratus) and other cars that size. I really don’t appreciate having to climb out the passenger side or having to pray that you don’t hit me while trying to maneuver your behemoth around. I’m sorry that you have to walk an extra 20 feet. Suck it up.
Honking your horn at me at a red light is not going to make me move. I’m perfectly aware that I can legally make a right turn on a red light. However, it is not safe to do so. Once it is safe, I will proceed into the intersection but not before that point in time. All honking does is make you look moronic to other drivers.
Flying around me at a stop sign (because you don’t want to stop) is really not a good idea. I’m sorry that I’m following the rules and that you in your black Porsche Boxster have a problem with that. However, it would be a real tragedy if someone T-boned you because you failed to stop. Driving like that is also likely to cause you to roll your Porsche (especially in the rain) and I really don’t think that’s going to end well, given the lack of space between you and the roof. Spinal cord injuries are no fun and I’m sure your insurance company is going to LOVE paying for your stupidity.
(For more quick takes, go see Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.)
Prayers for Discernment
A few people have suggested to me that I should possibly go back to school and re-train as a nurse because I have the skills for it. I’m open to this but there are some things standing in the way of me doing this:
-Daniel’s needs at the moment
-the fact that I don’t know how long we’ll be in this current parish
Could those of you who pray please pray for me as I discern all of this? There’s a part of me that wants to do it NOW(!!!!!!!) but I know that this isn’t totally possible at this exact moment.
The Simple Woman’s Daybook: July 11, 2011
FOR TODAY July 11, 2011
Outside my window… cooler than it’s been. I think it was in the low 80’s today. It beats 105 any day!
I am thinking… about what I have left on my Daniel list this week. Today was multiple doctor’s appointments.
I am thankful… that the resident Daniel saw today for his well-child check-up was one of the ones who was in the PICU with us. She was overjoyed to see him healthy, having seen him the night when he was almost put on ECMO. I like her and asked for her to be the one with whom Daniel will follow up next month.
From the learning rooms… baby sign language. Daniel knows the sign for “more” — he just doesn’t want to do it. He’ll make the sign with my fingers instead.
In the kitchen… nothing super complicated.
I am wearing… light blue v-neck shit from Lady Foot Locker and sweats.
I am creating… entries for Michelle.
I am going… to Sacramento for Daniel’s speech therapy tomorrow, to WIC on Wednesday, and out with my church ladies on Wednesday night.
I am wondering… why drivers on Highway 99 are so stupid.
I am reading… The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs.
I am hoping… WIC isn’t too awful and that wherever it is can handle Daniel in a stroller.
I am looking forward to… Ladies’ Night Out for church on Wednesday.
I am hearing… the fan in the bedroom and Qubo on TV in the living room.
Around the house… still relatively clean.
I am pondering… too many things to list at the moment.
One of my favorite things… my massage last Wednesday. I needed it. BADLY.
A few plans for the rest of the week… speech tomorrow, WIC and Ladies’ Night Out on Wednesday, and nothing the rest of the week God-willing.
Here is picture for thought I am sharing… Daniel playing pattycake with my mom.
Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook
Not Quite What Was Expected…
We’re trying to teach Daniel some baby signs and one of the ones we’re working on right now is “more”. We practice it at mealtimes and during snack as well. Daniel knows the sign — he just won’t do it himself. Instead he takes my hands and makes the sign using my fingers.
Silly bear.
Pesto
Here’s the awesome pesto recipe that my family makes every year.
8 cups basil leaves packed into food processor
1 head garlic or more Peeled and separated.
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup shredded parmesan
1 cup walnuts or pine nuts.
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Pack the basil leaves into the food processor. Pulse 8 ?? 10 times so that the level starts to drop. Place the garlic cloves in the food processor and press into the basil leaves. Add some of the olive oil and pulse several more times. Repeat adding oil and garlic until oil is completely added and the mixture is a paste. Add the walnuts/pine nuts and pulse several times, just enough to chop and mix. Add the shredded parmesan and pulse several times, just enough to mix. Press into a container and refrigerate for several hours.
Divide into the portion sizes you expect to need, and package in Press’n Seal or Saran Wrap. Put the individual packages into a ziplock bag and freeze.