Eat This, Not That

Recently I was recommended a group of nutrition books of the name 'Eat This, Not That.' They aren't diet books, telling you to cut out whole food groups or eat specific amounts at specific times of day, but rather a guideline to make smarter choices. I loved the books (I got the original and supermarket versions) and would recommend them to anyone, be they perfectly in shape or a total fatty like me.

The thing about the books is that the author(s) don't tell you what not to eat. If you really want pizza, the books give you examples of the right type vs. the wrong type of pizza to eat. There are best and worst of any type of food you can imagine, plus the brands. The supermarket book in particular will change your mode of, well, thinking about the food you partake in.

Another truly awesome part of the books is that the author(s) don't rate the food based on a couple of nutrition facts, but the nutrition information as a whole. There is no just looking at the carbs, or the calories and fat intake, or the sugar... For example, frozen chicken dinner A may have 30 less calories and 2 grams less fat than frozen chicken dinner B, but is worse for you because of the amount of sodium, calories from fat, and lack of protein and fiber.

I know this isn't a super exciting post, and most of you probably stopped at the second paragraph. I'm just really happy to have stumbled across these books because they have changes that EVERYONE can make, no matter your favorite types of food, whether you eat out or in, or what type of physical lifestyle you follow. So go buy or check out the books. If you don't, that next appetizer you order could be the one that has 2,900 calories and 182 grams of fat.

Why Do I Even Try? part deux

This time it's with my daughters' pediatrician's nurse.

(Three hours after initial phone call to pediatric clinic)
Bethany: Hello?
Nurse: I'm calling for Ste..Bethany Warren.
Bethany: This is she.
Silence on other end.
Bethany: Okay. Well, I called because my husband works in an area that has been hit hard by swine flu, and he's started to feel the symptoms himself. Since my daughters are both under three, I was wondering if there was a medicine they and I need to take to help prevent, you know, them getting it (one of my finer linguistic moments).
Nurse (deadpan voice): There is no medicine for that.
Bethany stares ahead, in shock, after reading about the increased risk for children under four, and the preventitive properties of Tamiflu and Relenza, at the completely unhelpful answer to her question.
A few seconds later...
Bethany: Okay, well yeah. I guess that's all I wanted to know.
Nurse hangs up the phone.

Why Do I Even Try?

Scene 1, Act 1
(Mommy sits in Lorelei's room with Aly and Lorelei as the girls play, sound of cars speeding by beyond the window)
Aly: Mama, mama, mama!
Aly (poking Mommy quite forcefully while brandishing yellow Baby Einstein block): Look,
Mommy, mana!
Mommy: I see that, Aly, but it's a banana.
Aly: No, Mommy, it's a mana.
Mommy: Say it with me, Aly; banana.
Aly (loudly): Mana!
Mommy: Banana.
Aly (yelling shrilly, quite frustrated): MANA!
Mommy: Calm down, Aly. Let's say it slow. Buh.
Aly: Buh.
Mommy: Nan.
Aly: Nan.
Mommy: Uh.
Aly (excitedly): Uh!
Mommy: Great job! Buh-nan-uh.
Aly: Buh-mana.
Mommy (happily): Even better, Aly! Banana!
Aly (high-pitched, proud voice): MANA!
(Spotlight slowly fades and car noises die away as Lorelei gums a Dora figurine, Aly dances a victory jig, and Mommy stares at ceiling, looking for an intervention.)

New Tim Burton movie

Can't wait! Though, do you think it's in a contract somewhere that Helena Bonham Carter will continue to have Tim Burton's babies and be his fiancee if he will put her in all his movies?

These Small Hours

I have learned a lot of new and exciting things in the last week and a half. I don't make a very good blind person, the only way to avoid waiting rooms at the ER is to bleed (broken bones/dislocated joints need not apply), and my mother in law is a completely giving and patient person. Well, to be honest, I already knew that last one, but it was definitely reinforced.

Last week I found out I have a corneal ulcer in my right eye. I think I would prefer to have any other illness, injury, whatever that I have experienced so far than another ulcer. You would think that a person with a -10.00,-8.50 contact lens prescription would be used to not seeing clearly, but I kept my lens in my eyes so much that it was only when they'd basically fall out from old age that I'd remember that I actually can't really see too well. Therein lies the crux of the injury: keeping contacts in too long, not taking care of my eyes. If you were like me and would laugh it off when the opthamologist mentioned taking out your contacts at night, letting your eyes breathe... you should change your ways now.
So while I was basically incapacitated from the pain, light sensitivity, and blindness, my family took awesome care of the girls and me. I am so lucky that I have parents who would willingly take their personal days from work to watch the girls when I need them to, and a mother in law who would drive seven hours, sleep on the couch, put up with me and my hourly eye drops, and watch the girls while I couldn't. Society purports mother-in-laws to be harassing, derogatory, jealous, and condescending. I am eternally grateful that Carole is the antithesis to said definition.

Matt is currently looking for a new job. The hours, long drives, drama, and general job unhappiness has finally caught up with him. The breaking point seemed to be when he worked 70 hours two weeks ago, then was censured for wanting to take off Tuesday as well as Monday to take care of me. I could probably count on two fingers how many times Matt has taken off since he got the job over a year ago. Keep him in your thoughts and prayers as he searches for something more suited for him.

Aly is so funny these days. She's such a girly girl. I'm not quite sure where that comes from. She's gone from requesting daily 'princess' dresses to claiming everything she puts on is 'princess' wear... princess shirt, princess shoes, etc. She also has some plastic jewelry that she likes to refer to as her 'jewelries.' I can help but giggle when 'Where're my jewelries' comes out of Aly's mouth. Her perception of the world around her as well as her communicability has greatly improved over the last few weeks. She asked me one day if Matt was at work on the truck selling chips, something that completely surprised to me since I've never told her exactly what Matt does.

Lorelei is sick, again. Another ear infection. I'm not sure of the exact number she's had, but I know it's more than 5. I tend to get more worried with her being sick, kind of a throwback to when she was at such a high risk to get chicken pox at days old. She's getting better now, thankfully, and still trying her hardest to walk. Today she followed me around holding on to the back of my pants.

I filled up her closet with 12-18mo clothes today. Sigh.

8/11

Self-Inscribed Princess!

The British are coming, the British are coming!

Doggy kisses.

If a picture had been taken right after this one, you could have seen Lorelei hitting Aly on the backswing, and Aly laughing like it's the most fun she's ever had.

Is this what you wanted me to climb, Daddy?

Gone baby gone.

Aly desperately wanted to help swing Lorelei. This is one of the times she did so successfully, without being hit on its way back. Lorelei just looks incredibly pensive, probably unsure of her safety.

Are you sure you'd want her watching over your back?

Swinger.

8/15

Lorelei's temperature had gotten back up to over 103, so I was trying to cool her down with damp cloths while Mimi fed her. Yep, my soon to be 1 year old is too lazy to hold the bottle herself.

8/16

New skegging outfit, on her way to go to "Aly's" park.

The Future Has Arrived

I'm thinking today is the day. I keep looking over at Lorelei to find her standing in the middle of the room, and she just took three steps in a row. Today will be the day. She's already walked from the dresser in her room to me in the middle of the floor. Yep, just you wait, Henry Higgins, just you wait.

Thanks for the new clothes, Grandma! Lorelei was SO excited she just had to try them on today. Honest.

Two-Step Shuffle

I am free!

Such is the expression of my soon-to-be eleven month old sweetie, Lorelei, when she is standing and taking steps on her own. Yesterday she developed a new method, where she will stand up all by herself, take two steps, then stop. Doesn't matter if she's lost her balance or kept it, she will move to crawling position after those two steps and go from there. Never one step though, she's an accomplished two stepper, after all!

Aly has flown the coop. She's on vacay in Texarkana with one of her most favorite people in the world, Grandma (her other favorite person is Mimi, I'm noticing a bit of a trend) and Grandad. . Life has been quieter, cleaner, and calmer. I'm enjoying the time with Lorelei. I haven't really had much chance to see just her personality, not her reacting to Aly, and she's just as sweet as ever. Lorelei is starting to move towards the destructo-curious stage of development though. She's already tried to empty the tv stand twice.

Things have been looking up for me lately. I had a doctor's appointment yesterday, which went much better than I thought it would, and found that the followup appointment could be changed to this week. Originally it was not going to be until August 20, which had bummed me out since this is a prerequisite visit before I can get what I want done, so things seem to be moving in a good direction.

Matt had been wanting to write a book for a while now, and although we have solidified a main plot, he hasn't had the appropriate medium in his mind available. Thanks to his ever generous parents, he now has it. He got a new laptop for his birthday when his parents came to visit this past weekend. It's all shiny and new, and he has even forgotten my iPhone in favor of it (I will never forget you iPhone, my wonderful everything device). He has downloaded some software to get him started in the write (haha) direction, so here's hoping he's going to make fame and fortune with some fantabulous book just waiting to poured onto page. Maybe not fame, though... I don't photograph well.

Coraline comes out today! So excited, I loved watching it in theatres, can't wait to see it again. Go out and rent/buy it today...ay...ay...a...y....!

Off to go figure out what to do for Lorelei's birthday party, hopefully you'll be getting an invite in the mail soon.