Early Intervention

I've realized from looking around at the playgroup and music class Alex and I go to that most moms aren't as bat shit crazy as I am for having two kids under two. Most of them with kids my sons age are just getting little bellies now or talking about starting to try for a second child. I have a 22mo old and a 2mo old. The first month flew by (thanks to my BFF lindsay for flying in and keeping me sane) ....and then the temperature dropped. It's northeast cold outside. Whole different game. Alex learned the word 'no'. Whole different game especially since it also apparently means yes. In the past 2 months I haven't slept more than 3 hours uninterrupted and I also haven't slept in a bed. I haven't had one day with more than 5 hours of total sleep. I'm in a cloud of blur every minute. It's like always being burnt out and never getting good and stoned. So getting these little monsters ready to go out takes complete military precision. How the HELL does Angelina Jolie do it? I'm sure she doesn't have a dresser just to put coats, hats, gloves, pack a bottle, remember pacifier, take a snack,a favorite toy.. for her 10 kids every single time they have to go outside in cool climates. Or does she?? But seriously. Holy shit. I get myself dressed and ready first so that I'm sweating balls in my sweater in this over pumping steam heated apartment. I get Dylan bundled and into the bjorn carrier. Then I go get Alex and he's pooping in the bedroom. He finishes. I take Dylan out of the carrier and lay him in his bassinet, still bundled. Alex gets changed. I look over and Dylan's just spit up a puddle. I put Alex's coat, hat, and gloves on while performing an over the top song and a bit of bribing to get this to go smoothly. He gets a bottle of milk and a bag of animal crackers. I go to get Dylan and wipe his neck clean and guess what? He's freaking pooped. I go to change him and more poop comes out, and it keeps flowing like the god damn Nile, and of course finishes with me getting pissed on. I switch on Thomas the Train, keeping Alex happy, wipe my sweater, grab Dylan a new outfit, get it on him, bundle him up, back in the carrier, turn off Thomas and off we go! By the time we get to the corner I am in serious need of a cocktail and I worry if I am the only mom dreaming about drinking alone in a dark bar at noon. And it's always something. I love hanging out with my babies. They are the best thing that could have ever happened to me. I am challenged hourly by them and am overall very greatful that I had zero experience ever with kids because I probably would never ever have had one nevermind two. There is nothing worse than a know-it-all mom who panicks when it's her kid she can't figure out. And I see that ALL of the time. I at least babble, "Well I have no idea what the hell I'm doing as I am still new to this job" to every doctor, early intervention evaluator, swim instructor, music class teacher that I've encountered regarding my kids. And it is always something. Dylan has torticollis which I was like, "Um are you saying he is part turtle?" He got his big head in a funny position in my belly that did something to his neck muscle that gave him a tilted head, which makes him favor one side, which he then flattened that side of his head against some bones down in my you-know-what. So he's getting evaluated for physical therapy in home and probably will have to get a helmet molded to his head for a few months to reconstruct his head. I have severe post-partum thyroiditis which you wouldn't want to know what the hell it is if you want to consider having children one day, a sprained index finger from lifting Alex during a meltdown, and something annoyingly out of whack with a knee. Alex doesn't talk so his doctor also had him evaluated the other day by the NY State early intervention program for speech delays. He not only doesn't qualify but he tested on a 3year old+ level in comprehention. Today he pulled me into the kitchen for a cookie. I gave him an oreo and he said "no" and put his hands up so I could pick him up and he could show me exactly what he wanted. He panned his little hands around my pantry, found my empty cookie tin, and cried because it was empty. That's where I store my homemade cookies that I clearly haven't made in two months. He wants them NOW? Like what the hell made him think of this?? After a few tears he settled for a fruit cup, kiss, and a promise that the cookies were coming but he had to wait till after his nap. Shit. I had a laundry list of things to do during nap time and making cookies was the last thing I felt like doing first. But I did it. I whipped em out like Betty fucking Crocker herself and put them in the tin and hid the tin in the back of the pantry where it belongs. Hidden. If he woke up and asked for them that would be very interesting and if not I'd surprise him after dinner. Sure enough Alex woke up and as soon as his little feet hit the ground he took my hand, pulled me like a dog into the kitchen, arms up, finger pointing and he directed a brand new word: "MINE" at the cookie tin. Forget comprehending on a 3yr old level; this kid comprehends more than my 42yr old husband!

My Dylan. 8 weeks and 13 1/2 pounds of love. 

My theory: If I wear jingle bells my kids will laugh and smile all day.  So far so good!

Jingle all the way.... to bed!

Impact: My Sandy Journey

MONDAY MORNING; SANDY'S COMING!
It has been almost 10 years since the NYC blackout of 2003 happened. Growing up on the Jersey shore we lost power for hours every time it rained, but never have I ever experienced days without electricity in the heat of August or ever. I was 21, smoking wasn't yet outlawed in bars, and I was living in Hell's Kitchen. My friend Johnny and I sat on my stoop that day into night drinking over priced beers and making grilled cheese for us and my neighbors. My neighbors serenaded us with sing-a-longs like Kumbaya and Life Goes On on their guitars. We had a freaking blast. Ten years ago I was a carefree bartender, dating a well known Broadway star, a lawyer, the hottest cop in NYC.. forget that the hottest cop on the planet, and living on my own in a 1 bedroom apartment on West 56th Street. Fast forward ten years and my oh my how things have changed. I am married and a mom of two under two; scheming to find a way to move back and raise my babies in Hell's Kitchen. I moved to Washington Heights 8 years ago and it was just last year that Hurricane Irene was a threat to our electricity and I spent about $100 unnecessarily on batteries, candles, beer, and flashlights. Ok the beer was necessary. We only wound up getting a little bit of rain uptown, but I was a bit uneasy about going through a big storm with a seven month old baby. My extended family evacuated to my parent's house in NJ and they lost power for 3 nights and 4 long days. This year, well tonight, Sandy Frankenstorm is going to smack directly into my parents house on the Jersey Shore. Atlantic City is closed. That sucks, right?? It sounds like the perfect place to be! I'd LOVE to be in a big hotel, playing blackjack, drinking martini's while the perfect storm unfolds all around. There's no windows in the casino. It seems so perfect, but if Donald Trump makes the decision to close the doors then game on. This is serious. Everyone in my family has evacuated to my aunt and uncle's house that has the inlet from the ocean in the backyard and the beach two blocks away. They are under evacuation orders themselves BUT... they have a $10,000 hospital grade generator that automatically switches over when power fails, pork chops, burgers, and a full bar so they're having a hurricane party. They tried to lure me and my kids with the tempting promise of late night karaoke in the bar, but there will be chain smoking and I would never ever take my kids to a town under evacuation. The police are driving around on megaphones telling everyone to get out. So crazy! My husband is in NYC and he just called that he is working tonight on his night off (he's bartending) because nobody else wants to work and there's loads of trapped tourists. The hotels are packed. The subways and buses shutdown at 7pm last night and truthfully I am worried about him carrying a lot of cash and trying to get a taxi at 2-3am. Hopefully he won't be drinking with the guys knowing me and the kids are out of town. It is going to be what it is going to be. It's a serious storm heading my way. My best friend in Costa Rica just survived a crazy earthquake where the epicenter was like so close to her town. People in the Midwest deal with tornadoes coming straight for their homes and hope they won't be homeless afterward. My almost two year old is going to have a blast camping at Grandma's in the dark, but I am nervous about my 3 week old baby. I have enough formula for a week, cases of diapers, a garage stacked with water, instant coffee, a full wine fridge, and 3 generations of women who can really cook but I have been put in charge of the cooking. I made homemade chicken/spinach/feta sausages that will go over bow tie pasta/peas/light garlic cream tonight. Mmmmmm!! I grew up with the town butcher who ground my chicken while we chatted about our kids and the chaos. My mom is taking care of Alex. My fabulous 92year old grandma is taking care of Dylan. I'm left missing the hell out of my kids and only being able to kiss them with dirty hands while the baby hogs spoil them rotten. Baby hogs. There are two other new moms on the block where I am staying. The same block I grew up on just with two new families. Yesterday they were taking their babies for a walk together as I was coming back from seriously caffeinating myself at Dunkin Donuts. So we got to chatting and holy shit they were bugging out about this storm: who's on the wait list for a generator, boarding up, evacuating, looking for plane tickets to visit Aunt Whoever in California, and ladies... you can't run. Or can you? You'd really rather visit your husbands distant German aunt with a newborn in another city than ride out a 36 hour storm?? Really?? I was concerned if I'd be able to flat iron my hair before the power goes. Am I not taking this as seriously as I should be when the storm itself is out of my hands? Am I going to be the dumb ass mom who ran out of formula, who's milk went sour, and who was left serving her toddler cold chef-boy-r-dee straight from the can because I don't have a generator, more than 7-8 days worth of formula, and because my gas stove has electric igniters and won't even work with help of a match?!?! No way. The liquor store that is about 6-7 city blocks away up the road vowed not to close. Livotti's, the Italian Market next door, purchased a $5,000 generator and is up and running no matter what. So I can always be the dumb ass mom hitting the store in a hurricane or it's aftermath. But that's unlikely. The rain will stop, the stove will light, and by the time my 31st birthday arrives next week Sandy will be a storm of the past. Actually the media wants us to panick and spend a lot of money stocking up . They are being so dramatic Fox5 has freaking Geraldo covering the mess. Geraldo! They can totally manage to scare those who aren't even scared. I am not scared. I am confident we have a safe house and that we have enough supplies inside of it. As long as a tree doesn't fall on top of it we're good. Today one of the husbands of the girls I ran into yesterday was outside with their brand new generator. They made the wait list. They decided to spend at least $1000 (probably more) on one. If I owned a house on the Jersey Shore I would have had a generator too. He wished me luck and I wished him the same. But I have all of my bases covered. I may not have a generator but.... I have 4 unopened toys hidden in my dad's car for Alex. I'm on my first glass of wine now while I start this blog and the babies nap with GG. Dinner is prepped. Sausage is cooked. All I have to do is boil the water and nuke the rest. Come on Sandy, show us what you got.

Monday morning GG and the babies.

We had to start coloring BEFORE the blackout because PBS had to inturrupt EVERY single cartoon for non breaking news storm coverage. How the hell do I explain that to my hysterical crying almost 2 year old!?!? NOT FAIR PBS- Dinoseur Train should have been left alone!!!!!

Homemade spinach-feta-chicken sausage with peas over bowtie pasta in a light garlic cream. 

8pm Monday HURRICANE SANDY HIT THE JERSEY SHORE

The view out my Grandmother's third floor window of what was a busy two way main street, Silver Lake, and park= 8th Avenue Belmar, NJ. 

The backyard where our pool was yesterday

My Uncle's car was lucky it didn't float away like Wayne's next door did

Monday Night
The surge hit. The wind is so loud the whistling is scaring Alex more than the creepy shadow puppets my brother and I keep projecting on the walls. The sky is lighting up like the 4th of July. The radio says in the next town (Colts Neck) there are flashing lights in the sky due to transformers blowing up, but this looks like a really crazy lightning show. Or UFO's incoming. Either way I have to entertain Alex and my shadow puppet animals need a LOT of work. My shadow puppet falick symbols are totally up to par. #StillGotIt

Aunt Rose and UnclemRonald's $10,000 generator got water in it and failed around 9pm. Their dock is on their neighbors lawn. Their fridge is floating and their bar is under water. GG doesn't know her house is 1/3 underwater and will be 1/2 underwater within the next few hours. The ocean on one part of town met the river on the other part of town as  tsunami-like destruction washed out Belmar, NJ. My beach house and town is not recognizable. Last update from Uncle Louis was that Wayne next door's car just floated away. Uncle Louis is in the house riding out the storm alone. And still, here we are a few miles inland, my Mother Judy spooked that this is one of the Blessed Mother Mary's predictions and the world is absolutely ending. She is ranting about this nervously with a  ghost light candle thing over her face and it's getting creepy. My dad is freaking about about the gutters and water coming in. My babies are warm and cozy by the fire. And we may not have electric or cell phone service but we have our homes, good wine, a radio, a gas fireplace.... and each other. 

Cheers!

 TUESDAY AFTERNOON- the aftermath
Alex got bundled and played in the leaves and puddles. Whoever stayed on the block is busy throwing uprooted trees and branches onto the cemetery property therefor avoiding a $500 per house tree cleanup service. It's cold even with the fireplace and oven on. The temperature has dropped 20 degrees; from the 50's to the 30's.  Central Jersey is predicted not to have power for the next 7-10days. My parents have Verizon cell service. The neighbors next door have Verizon too and no service. Figure that out. At&t is down so I have no cell phone service or Internet on my iPad. I called Carmel car service at 5am with a weak signal to take us home and they're out of cars for today. Tomorrow me and the kids are booked to have a car service take us home. The boys are napping and again it's day 2 of drinking a pint of wine in front of the fire. Obama is on the radio talking about the nurses who carried the newborns out of NYU hospital yesterday and the firefighters in Queens. Crazy images I'd love to watch on tv, but I am listening to the radio and living like its the 1940's. Obama comes to NJ tomorrow. Will he turn on the electric?? Maybe my cell phone?? 

Dad and Alex taking out broken branches

Alex is my favorite first responder!

 TUESDAY NIGHT

Alex is officially scared of dark because of Sandy Frankenstorm. I've opened his first hidden toy; the etch-a-sketch. We made homemade play dough earlier when it started raining. We got Peter Luger hamburgers from Brooklyn defrosted in the freezer ready for tonight's dinner with potato chips. The water in Belmar, NJ is still 5-6 feet in the streets and past front doors. GG may have to come to NYC with me and the kids tomorrow. It is so cold. This will be my second night in a row staying awake through the night holding my babies by the fire. #sandy #survival 

NOON ON WEDNESDAY Carmel showed up on the dot to get me and the kids out of New Jersey.

THURSDAY Diapers.com overnighted my diapers and formula because now I am freaked out about not having 2+ weeks supply at all times. I ordered a box to donate to my church's collection and put together some clothes to send too. I can not believe that this happened. GG stayed to be closer to her house, she would not get in the cab and come to NYC. She and my parents are freezing and running very low on supplies. 

FRIDAY my 31st birthday 

SATURDAY my Grandmother thinks at 92 she can get a good paying city job because she is going to invent a furnace that can withstand hurricanes by using submarine technology. My dad, the most unhandy man on the planet, made a makeshift heater by hanging plastic painter's tarp in the entryway's and seal off the living room with the fireplace from the rest of the house. HEAT AT LAST. He also used the rest of his gas to find an open Home Depot and came back with torch lighters to keep use of the stove/ grill and flashlights that take AA Batteries since D batteries are impossible to replace. HOORAY!!!! GENIUS! 

SUNDAY My Dad is in crazy pain after coming down with a terrible case of shingles. He's one of the 5% that can get it more than one time and the stress of Sandy brought an outbreak at the worst time. THANK YOU LORD for us not being there or my kids probably would've caught chickpox. Rumor has it power will be out until Wednesday in Central NJ. My husband's going back to work tomorrow. I spent my night snuggling with my babies a little longer and holding them a little tighter as you never know how bad a storm can be until it hits. We are so so so so so so so lucky and will be spending time in Belmar eventually helping to clean and rebuild GG's home and help in the neighborhood in any way we can. 

There's NO place like home and we are lucky to have one.

Brothers!

I usually make 2 and freeze one before it cooks but this time I made one and donated the other to my neighbor hosting friends from downtown who were evacuated.

MAMA'S MEATLOAF

5 pounds mixed meat- veal, pork, beef (or go ahead and use turkey if thats your thing)

2 large onions

4 grated garlic cloves

3 eggs

4 pieces lightly moistened bread

1 package onion soup mix

handful chopped parsley

a good squeeze of ketchup

dash hot sauce

splash milk

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together well. Break up the bread into little bity pieces. Mix again. Form two loaf's. Drizzle ketchup over the top (or raw bacon if you want to go there) Bake 1 hour. 

Mama's meatloaf is no joke mmmmmmmm!!!

The big push

DYLAN MARC 10/6/12 8:50am 8lb 12oz

 

 

Dylan Marc was born three weeks ago at 9:50am on Saturday, October 6th. My labor began after 1am and came on sudden and with crazy fierce contractions 3-5 minutes a part. His birth was totally peaceful and a great experience after I needed an epidural at 9+ centimeters dilated. Who the hell needs an epidural administered to them that late in labor?!?! Me... I had been waiting beyond a reasonable amount of time for the cervix to go from a 9+ to a 10 centimeter. I had no urge to push and my doctor said I needed to try and push blindly against the pain without the needing to poop or push feeling. I couldn't. It felt like fake and I couldn't get the push to... well push! He was hoping the less than a centimeter of cervix would open and Dylan would be ready to be pushed out finally. So I couldn't form a push and waiting was becoming intolerable. My water also finally broke at 9cm and there was baby poop in it. Since that's a big medical concern that my son took a dump on his way out, a pediatrician had to come in to be on hand and I had to stay in bed monitored and hooked up. Dying in pain and now immobile all at what is supposed to be the very very end of labor and now they tell me no more singing Lauryn Hill and Pink in the shower, really?? Fuck that and drug me. So after 7 hours in labor and just about to deliver I got the epidural, took a 45min nap, and woke up to the feeling of needing to push my baby out. My husband went to find the doctor and nurse and sure enough it was time. 20 minutes of pushing and good morning Dylan! What a relief. What an experience. I can now say labor without an epidural is just silly and pain that no humans should have to feel. It's awful! I got an epidural pretty early on in my first pregnancy and really liked how my birth experience was calm, peaceful, and not screaming and freaking out. BUT I decided to attempt a natural birth because in my first pregnancy the epidural didn't totally work. I had an AWFUL bout with foot swelling after being pumped with pitosin, and I have really severe scoliosis. It seemed easier. You know what is easier?? Getting a shot in your back, laying in bed watching tv, taking a nap, updating your facebook status, putting on makeup.. yep.. that shit is easier.  I have so much more respect for women who don't have access to epidurals. 1 in 10 women die in childbirth in some parts of the world where my superficial ways just aren't reality... at all. It's crazy having babies and now I am the mommy to two beautiful boys who are my only biological relatives. These three weeks have flown by and I am so tired, so caffeine hungover, and so so very tired that I am in a stoned dream like state all of the time. My body is exhausted. I have taken one 40 minute nap and otherwise sleep 2-4 hours a night all together. One hour here, three hours there, and surviving on a caffeine diet. Reality is walking to starbucks and taking my son to the playgroup. He's almost 21 months and acting out BIG time. He's not necessarily acting jealous but he of course is. He is having a really hard time adjusting to his brother and to his mommy not being pregnant anymore. I was pregnant before he was walking so his world has been turned upside down. Example, he would throw himself on the ground if he didn't want me to pick him up and make him go into bed, or in his carriage, or have his diaper changed. I had to be patient and wait for him because a big pregnant lady can't really wrestle a toddler on the ground. BUT a non pregnant mom sure as hell can! Alex's first week with his brother home was a week filled with temper tantrums, crazy outbursts, and lots throwing things. He didn't want to do ANYTHING but watch tv. He paid NO attention to Dylan at all. And now he's just coming along fine. The boys have their bedtime bottles together every night, Alex kisses Dylan all of the time, and Alex always is trying to help give him his toys or random things like cookies and the tv remote. My best friend saved us by coming in from Costa Rica. One day she came over and heated up noodles. If she didn't I wouldn't have eaten anything all day besides coffee. Lots of coffee. She took care of me and the babies and made sure I ate, had a cocktail, and reminded me when I needed it most that Alex is not the first kid to have a baby brother. He'll be fine. I'll be fine. Spending time with family when a baby is born is one of the most close and special times you can spend with that person I think. There is something about coming home from the hospital with a newborn and reflecting on all of the care you take of this baby and who you spend that time with that is so precious to me and I am so lucky my best friend, who lives in Costa Rica, has been there for me and both of my children. Let me just say- the second time around is a breeze!!!!

DINNER TIME HAS TO BE QUICK! 

THE ANSWER TO MY PRAYERS HAS BEEN STIR FRY EVERYTHING!!!

MANGO SHRIMP STIR FRY

15 shrimp cleaned tails on

2 onion, 2 red pepper, 2 yellow pepper cut into strips (or 1 large frozen package stir fry veg) 

1 mango cut into strips (pineapple chunks could work in this too!!)

1 cup chicken or veg stock

1/2 cup juice (mango, white grape, orange, apple, guava, whatever!)

about a 4-5 second pour from a bear of honey

2 tbs bbq sauce

2 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs cornstarch

1/2 tsp ginger (fresh or ground) 

Cook the veg, throw in the mango, then the shrimp

Heat the wok on high. Cook your vegtables almost thoroughly. Throw in mango so it cooks 2-3 min. Throw in shrimp and cook 2-3 min till pink. In small bowl combine and mix stock, juice, bbq, honey, cornstarch, soy sauce and ginger. Add to wok and cook a few moments until sauce thickens. Serve with rice or noodles.

The easiest ingredients!

Making the sauce!

This took 15 min... Rachel Ray's got NOTHING on me!

 

 

Scary Sounds

Kids can be so creepy and I wasn't aware of this until my 18 month old son introduced me to what a toddler really is. Realize Alex is the first of everything for me regarding babies and now he is the first toddler I have ever been around. And wow. He is doing some creepy freaky shit! So someone in my family taught him "scary sounds" and he looks at me and hisses. Yep. Hisses. I work with him a lot on doing "nice mommy" and petting me gently as practice for his little brother coming in two months. He sweetly caresses my arm, but the devil is in his eyes and it's so obvious! Its torture not laughing, but its a serious lesson I am going for. Alex will act so sweet with this look on his face as I repeat, "Nice Mommy" and then he will pinch the shit out of me or go for a smack. In all fairness he's getting much better with A LOT of positive reinforcement, but I did have to turn to "time outs" as he's been biting me for saying no or taking something away from him. No biting Mommy! Ok he's only had one time out, but really?! Biting me?! I'm just waiting for him to have an imaginary friend or pull some, "Mommy I see dead people shit." I'll freak. I grew up across the street from an ancient slave cemetery ok. The street I grew up on was made in the late 80s, way after those slaves were dead and buried, and guess what? There's no way that the housing developers didn't totally go through some unmarked or some of the poorly marked graves to build our luxury homes. Hell yeah they did. The lights went off on me in the bathroom a few times, there were always footsteps in the hallway upstairs, a door swung shut for no reason a few times, and a few other times candles have been randomly burning or blown out. So uncomfortable. And my childhood best friend Colleen, who lives two houses down's house was way worse. Mine was nothing compared to the shit that went on over there. Her ghost was a super Nirvana fan and her cd player always repeated Penny Royal Tea and shut off other artists and so much other stuff went on you would never believe it. So yeah my kid acting like the exorcist got him isn't cute. It isn't funny. And he better not have an imaginary friend or see dead people in our home (Grandma's ok its haunted fair enough) because I don't want to handle it at all. I know you're only given what you can handle in life. And I'm working on handling two babies under 2 years old, finishing school, and somehow in the back of my mind wanting a puppy. A puggle I think. Or a boston terrier awwww. I'm crazy. And my husband works on average 5-6days a week most of the day until 1-2am and that's an easy week. My summer's are on the Jersey shore where my son can be outdoors and swim and play in the grass, not be on the hot NYC streets and playgrounds every single day.  I miss New York. I miss my bed, my husband, cooking, my bodega, and Fresh Direct. I need to start brushing up on trigonometry so I don't stress too much the spring semester, my first one back after the baby. 2-3 more weeks and Alex and I are going home! I have barely cooked and I haven't done laundry since June. (I'm not allowed to touch my mom or grandma's washing machine, done even ask) Everything I've eaten has pretty much come from the farm at the corner, my Uncle 's backyard, or the ocean two blocks away. Oh yes and the local bakery which I am on a first name basis with. And after the baby comes (or even during his arrival) my best friend Lindsay is flying in from Costa Rica to help me out and help isn't even the word I can describe when I expected to be on my own with a newborn and toddler, a husband who doesn't get much time off, and no family coming to my tight NYC space. So she's a blessing. She can help with the most important part: Alex. And his feelings. If he doesn't take to his brother and his mommy with another baby very well right away I'm going to be so hormonal with a newborn on my boobies trying to reason? No, toddlers don't reason I have learned. This expert's blog on kids said not to expect your toddler to get excited about having a sibling because it's like my husband trying to get me excited for a new younger wife he'll be bringing home for my company that I will be expected to help take care of and cook for. Oh hell no. (well unless she's super hot and... well hell no) Alex will be fine. As long as he's not hissing at the baby, we get over this hitting and biting phase soon, and I have my bestest friend to have a beer with me then we will not just be absolutely fine, but it's going to be a great experience and I am so excited for this little baby to join our family!!! 9 more weeks!!!

Look Mom!

Alex wearing his new hat that he picked out all by himself!!!

This laugh and smile is what I live for everyday!!



Teaching Alex drum rhythms.  He is obsessed and quite good too!!

SUMMERTIME PASTA is my favorite dish that I eat about twice a week. Alex loves it and especially loves the trip to our local Jersey farm where they have some little animals for him to pet.

1 lb thin linguini or angel hair
1 quart or 2 pts cherry tomatoes
1 green pepper (cut into julienne strips)
1 orange pepper (julienne strips)
1 zucchini (cut into rounds)
1 squash (cut into rounds)
1 large onion (cut into julienne strips)
1 can veg broth
A bit of white wine
Loads of garlic chopped
Handfuls of fresh herbs (I'm using lemon basil which is the best type of basil ever and parsley)

These little piggy's are messy from playing at the farm all day

Our goodies that with a baguette + pasta made an $8.95 meal for 4 people

The secret to this dish is roasting the cherry tomatoes on 350 for 45min or until they explode open covered in chopped herbs and generously drizzled w EVOO, salt + pepper

Brown garlic in EVOO. Add onion, 2-3 tbs butter, and peppers. Throw in 1/2-3/4 can of veg broth eye ball it. Stir. Pour in a few rounds of white wine. Cook over low-medium heat until soft. Throw in raw cuts of zucchini and squash and the roasted tomatoes and cook until zucchini + squash's colors brighten yet are still a bit firm to the bite. Serve over pasta.

Serves 4

C is for Cookie

I hate to be cliche but since I am a stay at home mom for now I have to conquer my fear of baking. My favorite memories as a little girl were baking with my mom and finger painting. We probably did not bake and finger paint everyday but it kind of feels like we did. My mother barely made things from scratch which I never knew or cared about. Our store bought cookie dough, cake mix, and brownie mix were always perfect and delicious and I would never have known  better if it weren't for Aunt Rose. Aunt Rose the baker. OMG the woman could own a bakery. She travels to towns all over NJ for the best cookies and pasteries and cakes when she doesn't make them herself. As a kid I'd spend a lot of time baking with her. Christmas time, we'd make a shit load of cookies. When I say a shit load I mean she gives them to EVERYONE as gifts from her house cleaner, to the girls at the hair salon, to her neighbors, and every family household gets a box. Her motto is always how much work goes into one cookie. And I don't really like a lot of work, but I really love homemade cookies and decorating. Easter time, we baked the traditional breads and I remember literally tucking them into a bed; a trick to make them rise perfectly. So why oh why do I NEVER EVER bake anything that is edible!?!? E V E R!?! Well, I was on a healthy muffin baking kick last year and when they started getting good I invested in muffin tins that weren't the 35 cent disposable ones. Well, every muffin freaking burnt on the bottom or sides on every batch that I made. After googling that I need to put the tins on a cookie sheet to do something with the heat on the bottom and sides they didn't burn, but they were always dry, I had scorched and scratched expensive muffin tins, and I lost interest real quick. I read blogs and these #supermoms have great recipes, clever ideas, and funny stories about their kids. AND THEY ALWAYS ARE BAKING!!!!!! Most have big kitchens in big houses God knows where and every tool for the trade. I'm a great cook and wait till I start drinking again and blogging that's when things will really get good. Two babies under 2, a lush, and a blog? GREAT IDEA. But, in the meantime I am a very pregnant New York mom in a small space and damn it if you all are going to make my mouth water everytime I read a blog!! It's time to bake bitches!!

Obsessing and diving into projects is more of a distraction to the fact that in 3 months I'll have another little boy to snuggle with. There's no preparing for him either, we have EVERYTHING left over from Alex so we're ready for him. It's very different this time. And I am so hormonal and indecisive. I can't decide on his name, what the plan for Alex is when I am in the hospital, thinking about breastfeeding and what to do if Alex wants my boobs or what Alex will be doing when the new baby has my boobs, and all the big things that come with having a baby. Shit even the small things. I can't deal. Or decide. I have returned and reordered and returned and really pissed off Zappos. I have changed my mind three times ordering takeout from the Italian place. Twice I canceled on my Dad picking us up for vacation. I'm loving being pregnant for the second time besides being so crazy Mary. I feel great besides starting to feel really really big and more hormonal this week than like ever. But whatever. I am making cookies. And when you make cookies you smile and forget about sweating the small stuff because everything just works out. Somehow it does.

My tools to start with the basics: COOKIES!!!

Yesterday, I took my 20% off coupon to Bed Bath AND Beyond and bought myself cookie sheets with good reviews, a cookie scoop, parchment paper, a cooling rack, a rolling pin, fun cookie cutters, and other little gadgets that totaled my bill way above $100. And I went home. I am baking myself a batch of chocolate chip cookies!

They're out of the oven! 

Batch 1: FAILURE 

My cookies were gross. I even put them back in the oven to see if they'd cook or turn brown or something but they were gewy inside and the gew was seeping through the bottom. The batter got sticky and I should've put it in the freezer but I wasn't delaying my mission. So this is what I got. They don't look as nasty as they were. 

Batch 2: YUMMMMMMMMY!!!!!

Second round was woop-woop pretty damn good. Alex LOVED them and he is picky about his cookies like his mommy! They could've used more choco chips, but I couldn't help myself and ate a bunch and then another bunch before they made it into the bowl. OOps. I froze the batter for 20 min and what do you know they came out like cookies. Real cookie tasting cookies. And I would like to pass this recipe on to all of the baker's out there.

The smile of SUCCESS!!!

The very best chocolate chip cookies 

• 2 sticks softened butter 
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons HOT water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips or chunks
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (I LOVE nuts in choco chip cookies but my son's allergic)

Preheat oven to 350

Cream together butter, white + brown sugar until smooth

beat in eggs one at a time

add vanilla

disolve baking soda INTO  hot water then add to batter 

add salt

add flour bit by bit 

throw in choco chips + nuts

drop by large spoonfuls onto pans w parchment paper

bake 10 minutes or until edges are browned

All of the normal people are in Jersey

I'll never take the phrase "scaring the shit" out of someone lightly again. I never thought one could be so scared they could actually shit themselves. We spend most of the summer on the Jersey shore where my entire family lives. Alex and I do like 2-3 weeks in NJ and then 2-3 weeks in NYC. So my parents and I took Alex to a little farm/ petting zoo one morning a few weeks ago. And I see how Alex is SUCH a city kid. He loved seeing the animals. We had a great time. Towards the end of our visit there was a rooster sitting on a fence maybe 2 feet away from where we were standing. Grandpa was holding Alex and when the rooster let out a cock-a-doole-doo Alex jumped a mile, screamed, and pooped his pants!!!! EWWWWWwwwwww in my Dad's arms, so gross, my kid pooped his pants!! The rooster scared the shit out of him and I had to change his little diaper in the grass and try and calm him down, but he wanted to get the hell out of there. There was no cooperating. I wanted to get the hell out of there. What a fucking mess. I'll take him back when he can know the words to Old McDonald and wipes his own ass.

So besides the farm, Alex LOVES the Jersey shore. We walk to the beach every morning, my whole family lives within 4-5blocks from each other, I hired a swim instructor to come to the house (which was a disaster; my mom, aunt, and 92 year old Grandma, beers in hand, kept telling him how the Y taught me in 1982 and how swim techniques were much better back then. OMG. Shut it.), there's a fabulous playgound across the street and another on the beach, and there's always someone dying to cook for us. But, we haven't seen any other moms with kids out on the beach in the mornings or at the playground much. We don't have any friends there or any kids in the family so it can get lonely. The best part is the food. Yummy Italian state of goodness. I'm always hungry. Actually, starving. I don't remember being this hungry when I was pregnant with Alex at all. And I feel great but I am starting to feel so big and I have such a long way to go. I'm 24 weeks and gained 11 lbs so far which is right on target. When I was pregnant with Alex my friend Spencer told me I'm the biggest pregnant lady he's every seen, but I felt like I looked so much bigger than I felt. Not so much this time. I feel pretty big. Maybe cause this time it's summer and I'm in less clothes or maybe I'm just fucking huge. Whatever. So it's coffee, juice, and breakfast on the beach by 8am every single day and that's fine with me. Alex is the best beach kid ever. He's obsessed and can play in the sand for hours. Marc's even made it down Sat-Mon a few times. We're so lucky and I tell myself this everyday. But Jersey runs its course. There's way too many chiefs and not enough Indians. But in the summer it's hot in the city, but with kids it is so fun and so easy until we have to take the subway uptown in rush hour or on a Sunday afternoon... or the elevator is broken. Then NYC fucking sucks and can kiss my Jersey ass. When we're in the city we have our outdoor playgroup two mornings a week, swimming class on the roof of a fabulous midtown hotel, sometimes a music class, and the parks and playground. The swimming class with other kids on this hotel rooftop is one of the most fun things Alex and I could do together. Actually it's one of those only in New York-if my friends could see me now experiences. It's so fun and we SCORED with a great group of kids and moms from all over Manhattan and Queens, who like me, don't hesitate to blow and dunk the baby. And they don't obsess over making their own saltines. Actually, most of them are from Long Island and have pools in their families yards or plan on moving back soon and they want to get their kids swimming too asap. They're nice, but I have the BEST friends in the world. Since Marc works 6-7 nights (and days too) a week I am 95% on my own everyday and night with Alex. My friends have never once complained or bitched me out that I've missed like every birthday, I've had to flake on plans quite a few times, or that I've again forgotten to call them back. I have felt so bad so many times I wished they would call me and freak out, but they just get it. Or they tear me a part over drinks behind my back, which is totally fine too. I have best friends who I click with, that are my family, and yet meeting someone new who has a kid would be awesome. But, someone I can talk about other things with than just our kids. How hard is it to meet a girl with a kid that drinks alcohol and likes theatre or the Kardashians and is from the tri-state area?!? Impossible. I meet people everyday at all the stuff Alex and I do and we have a fun little network uptown of people to do things with. But, they're from all over the world and some I swear from different planets. We got an email inviting us to a fun date by one of the girls who go to this playgroup. FUN. We never get invited to things and I'm getting all excited reading the email and guess what!? It's a clothing swap date. Yep. A fucking clothing swap date to teach our children about recycling. What!? Our kids are under 18 months old cheap-o's!!!!! Here's the deal: bring an item of clothing you and your child don't mind parting with that's in great condition. We'll lay it on a table and swap so everyone will leave with something new and don't have to buy a new item!! What!?!?! And 10 'yes' replies already?!?! WHAT!?!?! So, I am going bananas. Like, hello I am from New JERSEY where we go to the mall. Or an outlet. Or use our 30% off coupons at Kohl's. Where we shop cheap and new for our little babies. Hell no would this shit ever happen across the river. So, I call my BFF Joey who lives in Los Angeles but is from Ohio and ask him what he thinks of the clothes swap date. "Oh fun!!!! That's the shit we did all the time in Ohio!!!" Of course that's what he says. So whatever. I am from the other planet. And hell yes I declined that invite and tried so hard not to roll my eyes when the moms compliment how cute Ava looks in Jeffrey's hoodie. As much as I absolutely am a New Yorker, and as much of a city person as it gets, I swear all of the normal people are in New Jersey!!!!!

The culprit 

Grandpa get me the hell out of here! 

Goodbye farm and good riddance! 

The King of Belmar beach 

So. Here's what's for dinner since I am craving shrimp like all of the time. The price: $22 for a shrimp dinner from my local Jersey shore fish market/restaurant which gives you 12 fried shrimp, french fries, and tartar sauce. So $88 for take out for 4 people seems unreasonable when $20 gets me about 2 lbs (about 45 medium size) shrimp from the local fishermen. (Or a big frozen bag from any fish market/ Costco/ ect) I LOVE buying fresh but same price and Costco's come cleaned and deveined. I was my night to cook and I made a shrimp fest dinner for my family; a mix of scampi, cocktail in a spicy bloody Mary, and fried with homemade tartar sauce. It's super affordable for 4 people and it needs to be served with two sides b/c shrimp isn't the most filling of foods. Marinate boiled shrimp cocktail in a bag of bloody Mary mix overnight or for a few hours at least in fridge. Keep some fresh mix to serve w instead of using cocktail sauce. Fry up some shrimp. And cook the rest in the scampi sauce. It's quick, delicious, very impressive, and with the sides included cost me $33. I served it with a salad, corn on the cob, and my favorite; jalapeño corn bread.

SCAMPI SAUCE 
handful of garlic
3 tbs butter
Squeeze lemon
Splash white wine or beer
2 handfuls breadcrumbs

HOMEMADE TARTAR
1 cup mayo homemade or store bought
juice 1/2 lemon
2 tbs grated onion
small handful chopped pickles/ cornichons
if you have em throw in about 1 tbs chopped capers
a little dill
some parsley
dash worcestershire
splash hot sauce

SHRIMP FEST