winkel

Di-Di got a new toy this weekend. Apparently Fen's old 79-cent teething ring wasn't working for him, so we upgraded to a Winkel. Happy mouth...happy baby...happy family!

sick day

Apparently the Olympics are not to blame for my feeling lousy this week. I finally went to see my NP (nurse practioner) this afternoon, here was our conversation:

Mara: So, how are you feeling?

Me: Like crap.

Mara: Well, you look fabulous!!

Me: Um, thanks (I guess that's 'cause the last time you saw me, I was 20ish pounds heavier, pregnant, and had large unexplained purple bumps on my legs.)

Mara (looking down my throat): Hmm, yep...very raw...Pharyngitis (i.e. throat infection)

Amoxicillin, work your magic!

olympic hangover

Thank goodness the Summer Olympics only come once every four years. As many of you have probably been doing too, Dustin and I have been religiously watching/cheering on Michael Phelps for the last four nights. But on top of everything else my day comprises of, I don't think can handle the late nights very much longer!

I totally crashed and burned today, spending most of the morning with a pounding headache. No longer a college student with the stamina to pull all-nighters, my bedtime needs to be before the double digit PM hours arrive! Otherwise, the next morning, I have a "stayed-up-too-late" hangover (like today)

Watching Phelps brings back great memories of college swimming, dating Dustin, and cheering on my teammates. But I don't miss it anymore like I used to.

Somewhere in the past two years, I stopped wanting to go back to the carefree years of my early twenties. I don't mind going to bed early or not having the same freedoms I had in college. Watching the same episode of "Curious George" from 8-8:30am every single day is fun (although new episodes are always welcome too!). Spraying and soaking soiled onesies with OxiClean for three days straight (stubborn stains!) makes me feel purposeful. And if I cooked (not re-heated) dinner for more than two days straight...I give myself a pat on the back. I face my own Olympic routine every day...and hopefully as I "practice" the same skills over and over again, I'll someday see my children all grown up, with beautiful souls.

That will be my gold medal.

What's something you've realized with age?
Funny and/or serious realizations are welcome all the same!

tonight's dinner

When Real Simple comes every month and I immediately peel through it to see if there are any recipes that sound good. But since Di-Di was born in April, I've been way behind on my magazine reading. Between all the meals my Mom cooked and froze and our travels this summer, I haven't cooked anything new in a while. Our palates were in need of refreshment, so over the weekend, I plowed through the June, July, AND the August issues of Real Simple to find some new recipes.

Even though we do eat meat, I'm a big fan of having at least 2-3 meals a week being completely vegetarian. The one below is definitely a keeper...I made it tonight and it was thumbs up all around!

Pasta with Zucchini and Goat Cheese

12 ounces (3/4 of the box) linguine (I used fresh pasta...cooks faster and tastes amazing)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound zucchini, sliced into thin half-moons
Kosher salt and pepper
1 clove garlic, chopped
5 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta, and return it to the pot.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, until the zucchini is tender and any liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.

Add all but 2 tablespoons of the cheese to the pasta. Add the reserved pasta water, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir until creamy.

Serve the pasta topped with the zucchini, lemon zest, and the remaining cheese.

Tip: Fresh goat cheese is creamy and soft, which makes it ideal for incorporating into pasta dishes. Buy a log and crumble your own; the pre-crumbled bits sold in stores often don't melt as well, and they can be more expensive.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

CALORIES 455 (24% from fat); FAT 12g (sat 6g); CHOLESTEROL 16mg; CARBOHYDRATE 68g; SODIUM 746mg; PROTEIN 20g; FIBER 4g; SUGAR 6g

Real Simple, June 2008

four months

Here he is, four months old today. I could gush all day long about him, but I'll spare you the mushiness. Di-Di is a whole lot of fun, that's all I gotta say!

Pardon the blurry photo...I was experimenting with the camera's settings...the good poses came out blurry and the bad poses came out clear?! What's the point of having a really nice camera if the only function you can work on it is auto....I really MUST take a photography class.