Author: kakakakaty

The Dora Debacle

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Until well after M’s 1st birthday she watched very little TV – a few viewings of a Baby Einstein video was it. Since then we’ve slowly allowed more TV to creep into her day: a few minutes of Blue’s Clues in the mornings to allow us to finish getting ready in peace, some Sesame Street while cooking dinner seemed like a harmless distraction. She liked watching these shows but never asked for them or got angry when we turned them off. That all ended about a month ago when Dora the Explorer got her claws on M.

She caught the start of an episode when we didn’t turn the TV off quickly and it was an instant addiction. We thought it was pretty harmless and let her watch Dora instead of Sesame Street while we prepared dinner. Every time it came on she would absolutely freak out screaming “Dora! Dora!” and dancing around the room; we found this kind of funny. She quickly learned the names of all the characters and would shout them out when the came on screen. We saw trouble brewing when she would melt down when the show was over, but again we didn’t see this as a huge problem – just typical 2-year-old behavior, right?

The mistake came when I thought it would be a good idea to get a Dora DVD for our 12-hour car ride. The first problem was that I snagged a $5.99 deal on one which should have alerted me to the fact that this was a crappy movie. Let me just tell you that you should avoid Dora’s Pirate Adventure at all costs (here’s a little tip – it’s a musical, which I didn’t notice until loading it into the DVD player.  You should never, ever buy a cartoon musical). The second problem was as soon as it was over she immediately asked “again?” and when I refused and put in a new movie she lost her damn mind. If you’ve ever been in a car with a tantruming toddler and know you’re stuck in that car for several more hours then you understand you’ll do any thing to MAKE IT STOP. So Dora went back in and we watched it over and over while my brain started to slowly leak out of my ears.  60 minutes of whiny cartoon voices singing songs about lost pirate costumes is enough to make you want to jump out of a moving vehilce; hours of it is pure hell.

This Dora-fest during the ride led to a full-blown addiction.  While on vacation every time we came back to the condo she demanded “I want Dora!”  In the car for a quick trip to the grocery store – “I want Dora!”  The moment she woke up from a nap – “I want Dora!”  We decided that for the sake of our own sanity while on vacation she could watch all the Dora she wanted but when we got home it was time for an intervention.  We considered enrolling her in a 12-step program but opted to go cold turkey in the end.

I remembered reading some of Sundry’s old posts about breaking Riley’s addiction to TV by telling him the TV was broken so we tried it (I think it was Sundry – I can’t find the specific post).  By leaving the cable box off the screen is just blue so when M sneaks over and turns it on we just tell her it’s broken.  She gets pretty upset for a few minutes but we can usually distract her with a toy or book.  So far it’s worked pretty well although we have gone back to letting her watch a few minutes of  Blue’s Clues in the morning, especially if she’s up before 7; otherwise our mornings are chaotic.  We still let her watch the occasional episode of Dora the Evil Explorer*, and she still loses her shit when it’s over, but the battles are not nearly as tragic as they were a few weeks ago.

*One thing that takes the evil edge off Dora is the fact that M has started to drop Spanish words – “the moon is arriba!”,  “I salta” as she jumps, and in front of every closed door she shouts “abre!”

Thoughts in the afterglow

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Last night was amazing.  I was fully expecting a repeat of 2000 where we would stay up until 4 AM and fall into bed exhausted but still not knowing.  We went out to dinner because I knew if I stayed home I would be a wreck – constantly flipping channels even though polls hadn’t closed yet.  By the time M was down for the night I still wasn’t ready so we watched some recorded TV for a bit.  By the time Mark and I decided to jump in the craziness thinks were already leaning heavily for Obama.  By the time he won Ohio I about fell over from the anxiety and excitement.  When the networks announced the new POTUS-elect so early I wasn’t ready – I was still worked up and anxious so I stayed up to watch the speeches. (let’s not even mention the fact that I couldn’t drink during all of this!)

McCain managed to earn back some of my respect with his speech.  THAT was the McCain that intrigued me in 2000.  THAT was the McCain I might have supported.  THAT was the McCain who could have made this a close election.  I was glad to see him reappear and hope his attitude returns to the Senate with him.  However, those supporters to booed at the mention of Obama?  That is why McCain lost.  Tactless and classless; very much like the way the McCain campaign was run.  The contrast between those boos and the cheers that went up in Chicago when Obama mentioned McCain is exactly what won this for Obama. 

Obama supporters don’t fear or hate John McCain.  They disagree with him on several issues and want the country to go in a different direction than he was proposing to take it.  Unfortunately, McCain supporters do fear and hate Barack Obama because they were told to by the staff of the McCain campaign and especially Sarah Palin.  Lies they told about Obama’s background were repeated ad nauseam even after they were exposed as lies.  The GOP decided personal attacks were more important then discussion of issues and last night the people said enough is enough. 

Barack Obama has enormous expectations to live up to and I don’t think any human alive could possibly meet those expectations.  But, I think he has already proven he will be a fantastic President – he has inspired and motivated countless people before even taking office.  From the very beginning Obama has told people if they want a change the need to work for it – they need to go out and make things happen.  He ran a disciplined campaign, surrounded himself with the best, and asked others to work with him towards a common goal.  I can’t imagine he wouldn’t take that same attitude with him to the White House.

Rock the Vote

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Today I voted.  It was the 4th time I’ve been of voting age during a presidental election and it was by far the busiest polling place I’ve ever seen.   All told it took about an hour from arriving at the polling location to getting back to my car.  I’m anxious as as all get out today fearing a repeat of the stolen election of 2000 but am hopeful that things will run smoothly.

There was one moment at the polls that brought tears to my eyes and rose goosebumps on my skin.  There was an elderly African-American woman with a walker in front of me in line and I could tell she was struggling and tired. I found a chair for her to sit in as we waited and we chatted. I asked why she didn’t vote absentee and she straightened up and said proudly “Honey, I’ve waited my entire life to cast this vote. There was no way I wasn’t going be here in person and see my ballot go into that slot. I want to tell my grandkids and great-grandkids that I was here today.  This feels like the big moments of the Civil Rights days – change is coming but only if we all do something to help it along.”

I couldn’t agree with her more.

Trick or Treat!

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After a week of cold, rainy, windy weather the clouds broke and we had an awesome warm fall evening to trick or treat last night. M was into it for about 4 houses but we went around the block anyway – she just refused to talk to anyone.

I was told to expect about 300 kids by friends in the neighborhood. I guess they didn’t figure in all the old farts on our street who don’t participate so we saw very little traffic. Now we are stuck with a Costco-size bag of leftovers of which I can’t have any. Mark’s office will be very happy on Monday!

Have to Get Away

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Even though I’m a couple of days back at the daily grind I thought I’d tell you a little more about our vacation. Mark and I have been going to Hilton Head just about each of the last 8-9 years thanks to the generosity of my parents who own several weeks in time shares.  We have been very spoiled by vacationing to condos with 2-3 bedrooms and as many bathrooms and I now can’t imagine spending more then a couple of nights in a single hotel room with kids (I’m a brat, I know). Last year we drank the kool-aid and bought a week for ourselves.  We own at the Marriott Surf Watch and it’s fabulous.  This was our first trip with our week (I’ve been to this resort before with my parents) so it was great to confirm that we love our purchase.  

Since we’ve vacationed here so often we know what we love about the island and what we can skip.  This made for a very relaxing trip where the biggest decision was “pool or beach?”.  Our days pretty much consisted of letting M dig herself silly on the mostly deserted beach, going back to the condo for lunch and naps (which we all took, every day), swimming – some days outside, some days inside, dinner, then another jaunt to the beach for some more digging action.  

The great thing about the condos are the full kitchens and we stock ours for several meals in as soon as we arrive.  But, I can’t be near the ocean without indulging in as much fresh seafood as possible.  This trip with my diet restrictions (no drinking, ultra low-fat foods) I was worried about eating out but then remembered grilled or steamed fish and seafood is perfect.  Our first night we were too tired from the drive to think about making dinner in so we headed to a touristy spot that is a usual place for us to go: the Crazy Crab. This is a mecca for vacationers: casual, kid friendly, nothing fancy.  We usually go to the one in Harbour Town but this time we went to the one on the intercostal waterway and it was a beautiful view.  While their menu features everything fried there was a nightly special with grilled fish, shrimp and veggies that I ordered.  The food is okay, nothing special but perfect for a first night out.

Later in the week we took a recommendation from the staff and tried the Sea Shack.  We were told it was good, very fresh seafood at cheap prices and a local favorite.  The place was hard to find and when we did find it there was a line 20 deep.  “No way” we said, then discovered that it was a few minutes before 5:00 and it wasn’t open.  We change our tune; “Must be a good place!” and get in line.  We wait about 25 minutes before we even get inside.  The place is small – maybe 15 tables and very, very unpretentious.  There is a board with all the fresh catch selections along with the standard fare.  Everything can be grilled, fried or blackened and comes with 2 sides and hush puppies.  I order grilled scallops at the counter and snag one of the last empty tables, Mark gets blackened shrimp and we get M the kiddie popcorn shrimp meal.  Add in drinks and and piece of blueberry-keylime pie to go and the total is about $30.  I wasn’t expecting much but I got a dozen good-sized scallops that were cooked perfectly, a huge serving of parmesan mashed potatoes and salad – all for $11!  Everything is served on disposable plates with plastic utensils.  Like I said, not fancy but oh so good and cheap. When we left there was still a line 20 deep out the door.

Our last night there Mark chose the restaurant and we headed to Captain Woody’s at Palmetto Bay Marina.  We had never been to this part of the island before and will most likely go back.  It seems like a very fun place to hang out and have a few beers on a nice night.  The night we were there it was chilly and pouring rain so no beers at the outdoor bar for us.  Instead we ate inside listening to the chatter of all the regulars at the bar.  The menu was decent but didn’t have much to offer with my low-fat needs.  I ended up with grilled grouper and Mark had the shrimp po’boy. M had PB&J and cottage cheese and a few cocktail shrimp. I wouldn’t say this place was exceedingly kid friendly but that might be different on a warmer night sitting on the patio.  Next spring when we go with family this would be a great place to head when we can leave the kid at home with grandparents.

Rounding out our trip was the ubiquitous trip to Harbour Town and South Beach (we had to get M a Salty Dog shirt) and a rainy day visit to the Sandbox – a new find.  

As usual a trip to the low country left us relaxed and recharged.  A stop over in Saxapahaw to see Lindsay on the way home was icing on the cake.

Back to Reality

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We are back from vacation and I have to say that this past week was about 10x more relaxing and fun then I ever thought a vacation with a 2 year old could be.  A lot of that has to do with my awesome hubby who did the abundance of chores while we were there (laundry, dishes, etc.) and who let me sleep in every single morning.  A lot also has to do with the BEACH – there is no better place on earth to let a toddler wear herself out then on a nearly empty beach on a warm day.  I’ll post more soon, including pictures; but if you are looking for a great place to take little ones all I can say is head to the shore.

Relaxation

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A week in Hilton Head is exactly what we all needed. Warm weather, sunny blue skies, acres of sand for M to dig in, and lazy unscheduled days. Not to mention all the fresh seafood (we discovered M loves shrimp!) It’s just what the doctor ordered.

Quick Update

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Last Wednesday (10/1) in the early AM I went to the ER with severe abdominal pain.  That night I went back – gallstones.  They admitted me to the hospital and on Thursday I had a ERCP to remove two stones that had escaped the gallbladder and lodged in my bile duct.  Should of been pretty easy with a gallbladder removal scheduled for the next day.  

Thursday night I went from being tired and a little sore to being in severe pain, begging for drugs (and I had a natural childbirth, so this was no joke!).  Friday I found out I was one of the 5% of patients who develop Pancreatitis after the procedure.  

All told I was in the hospital 8 nights/9 days.  I wasn’t allowed to eat or drink for 5 of them.

I’m still tender, can only eat soft foods, can barely pick up M, and am running a constant low-grade fever.

Mark is a superhero of a husband.  

My mom came to help out for a good chunk of time and my sister is here for a few days.  It’s been a whirlwind.

A week from today we are supposed to leave for a one-week family trip… I think we all need it.

My Kind of Town

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Yesterday I returned from a 4-night business/conference trip to Chicago – one of my favorite cities. On the way there I figured out that it has been about 2 ½ years since my last visit, a tragedy on all accounts. Only a 4 hour drive from Toledo, we used to visit quite often. Being “married with child(ren)” makes it hard for a quick trip to the windy city but this trip showed me that we all need to go back soon. I saw it for the first time through a mother’s eyes and saw how walkable the city is, how safe most of the streets feel and how kid-friendly it can be.

But I was on my own for this trip (with two colleagues whom I consider good friends and a host of others from my department) and thoroughly enjoyed myself. The weather was incredible – a bit of Indian summer with 80-degree days featuring crisp blue skies. We stayed at the Sheraton, which although showing a bit of wear around the edges, had a great location and my room faced Navy Pier. The first night after a nice long walk down the Lakefront Trail from Ohio Street Beach to East Chestnut and back down Michigan Avenue we indulged in a movie, Dark Knight. Since my coworker is male and both Chicago baseball teams were playing we ended up at ESPN Zone for dinner. Not much to talk about there, but if you need a testosterone kick this is the place to go.

Unfortunately, I woke up at 6:30 AM the next morning and was unable to fall back asleep.  Luckily I had Mark put 30 Day Shred on my iPod so I got that hooked up to the TV and got to work (yes, I packed a set of 5 lb. dumbbells in my suitcase).  Level 1 rocked and I felt so good afterwords I decided to hit the lake trail again for a few miles.  By the time I checked out the cafe at Fox & Obel for a chai my muscles were screaming at me.  That Jillian ain’t no joke!

That afternoon included some power-shopping and lots of walking with my boss who was in search of a formal for an upcoming event. We took to the State Street area and hit Loehmann’s, Nordstrom Rack, Filene’s Basement, TJ Maxx and finally Macy’s (in the beautiful Field’s building) where we found the perfect dress. We then meet some others for drinks and a light bite at Su Casa – good drinks, crappy food. After heading back to the hotel for a quick change we ended up with everyone from my office – 12 people in all – at the Terrace at Conrad. The drinks were extremely pricy but the vibe was great and a vendor who is also a friend generously picked up the tab. This is a rooftop bar and had some pretty views and comfortable seating. Several people ordered from the tapas menu, but I wasn’t hungry. It’s a cute place if you’re looking for a place on Michigan to get away from the crowds.

On Friday afternoon we headed to Giordano’s on North Rush to satisfy a deep-dish pizza craving at lunch. Good food and the lunch special “personal dish” was cheap and relatively fast since they were pre-made. I guess it would be a good spot if you’re in the mood for deep dish but I really don’t have much to compare to.  After a session or two I managed to eek out another round of 30 Day Shred before I headed out to Navy Pier with a colleague. We ended up at Riva, sipping drafts, soaking up the sun and watching dozens of sailboats and hundreds of people go by.  I had been there years ago with my Uncle and it was a nice place to return to.  You can’t ask for a better view and their hummus was delicious.

That night I went up to Andersonville to have dinner with a college friend, Tom. It was great to leave the downtown area for the evening and, of course, to catch up. It’s been way too long since I’ve seen him and we had a fantastic time gabbing away. As he showed me around the neighborhood we passed Hopleaf, which Danielle had recommended as one of her favorites, so we stopped in. Danielle specifically said “You MUST go and get the mussels” and she was right – they were perfect! Paired with a Bell’s Amber and I was very, very happy. After dinner we strolled up the street to another bar for cocktails so we could continue our conversation. It was a perfect, relaxed time and I’m so happy to have seen Tom. I can’t wait this long for our next visit.

Saturday was the last day of the conference and after a quick jaunt the the West Egg for a very hearty and delicious breakfast we wrapped up our “official” reason for being there.  After that I strolled over to Uncle Julio’s to meet an old neighbor to catch up over some standard Mexican fare.  Their shrimp quesadilla was very good and the sopaipillas were better.  I made my way the 3 miles back to the hotel, patting myself for not getting lost once on all my walking adventures, and caught some of the college football on TV with a friend. After an excruciating session with Jillian I dragged my travel partners to my favorite Chicago eats: Shaw’s Crab House.  We were seated in the bar right away and had a couple of good, strong fruity drinks.  But what I had been looking forward to all week was the lobster roll and it did not disappoint.  I’ve never been to New England for the real deal but this thing has to be close – a toasty, buttered roll loaded with huge chunks of sweet lobster lightly dressed in a mayo dressing.  It’s about as close to a religious experience as you can have in a restaurant.  Everyone was happy, even the guy who “doesn’t eat things that come out of the water”.  Even though I was very full, I had to take another of Foodmomiac’s suggestions and get the raspberry pie.  I DID share mine but have to say that it’s everything Danielle said and more.  Even if you don’t like seafood, if you are in Chicago go to Shaw’s for the pie.  

Sunday morning I was up at 6:30 AM again (damn it!  why can’t my body let me sleep in when I have no responsibilities to tend to?) so I dragged out the weights and tacked the Shred again.   That’s right – I did it every day I was there.  If that’s not a testament to it being a workout you can fit into any schedule I don’t know what is.  By the time I was done the sun was rising so I decided to head south on the lakefront trail and took my football-fan friend with me.  We walked down past the harbors and parks so he could see Solider Field – a round trip trek of almost 6 miles.  It was an okay day but cloudy with a stiff breeze blowing off the lake; a signal that it was time to head home.

Since I ate my way through the city I was a bit nervous about the damage I had done.  I was pleased to find out when I got home that not only did I not do any damage, but I lost weight on my trip.  I guess walking several miles a day along with getting your ass kicked daily by Jillian is the way to survive a trip to your favorite city when you have an expense account and vendors picking up the tabs.  I highly recommend it.

*I also highly recommend getting dining suggestions from Foodmomiac if headed to Chicago.  Then do exactly what she says, she won’t disappoint!  I was bummed I didn’t see her while I was there, ironically she was in Ohio.