Slow Poke

My caption from Instagram last night: "Oh look, someone took a picture of JHM and made it into a sticker"

JHM has two speeds. Warp Fast and Super Slow. That's it. Nothing in between.

And he uses them both at the wrong time mostly.  Say you are running late somewhere, he couldn't care less.  Say it's raining, buckets, he couldn't care less.  Say you have to pee so bad and want to get home, he couldn't care less. Say you had a long day at work, amlost 8 months pregnant, pick him up from his babysitter and want to take a bus the 10 blocks rather than walk, and a bus is just behind you, but you're not at the stop yet - he couldn't care less.

BUT say you want to take a nice stroll or just want to sit down on a bench and watch people - well here comes Mr. Fast Guy. He wants to run all over, swing on every post or poll, run up and down ramps and stairs.

My sister-in-law gave him a book called How do I Love You and one page says "I love how you take each day in your own unhurried style".  That is my least favorite page. It makes me laugh now, cause this is just him. I love him dearly even at his slowest.

I do appreciate his lack of the concept of time.  And perhaps I am a little jealous of it.  I usually just go with it, or pick him up.  I enjoy this time with him, he won't be 2 1/2 for ever. Sigh.

Here is a video of him "hurrying".  We (I) had a million errands to run we hadn't eaten breakfast and it was almost noon (Saturday's we all sleep in late).  This is actually pretty fast. Acceptable even.

Maybe it's the Heat?

People are out to get me.  In my seven years of living in NYC I have never really had a confrontation with other NY'ers. That changed on Satruday night and again today.  Things come in threes, so I'm ready.  I'm ready NY, I might cry, but I'll take it.

I am in no means asking for reassurance that I am not a devil person by posting these situations, i'm just venting and commiserating with all the other people i know who have had similar encounters.


1) Saturday night we were hanging out in the West Village ate some pizza at our favorite dollar slice place, Percy's, and had our favorite gelato from GROM. While running around JHM said he had to use the bathroom.  It wasn't the type that he could just do on a tree either.  I went to the IFC center and asked to use their bathroom, they said sure it's right down stairs.  As we were at the bottom of the stairs this women (early 50's?) tells - not asks, me to move so she can get to the bathroom, I tell her no.  I said we are on the way to the bathroom too and I am not going to let her cut me off because I don't want my son to have an accident.  She starts going off.  She is a grown women and can walk fast than a 2 year old so she should go first.  I said, I'm sorry but no we are going first b/c what if there is only one stall open and she goes and we have to wait. "WHAT?!?!  Have you even been to a theatre before?? Have you ever just seen one stall???"  By this time we are already in the bathroom each in a stall.  Then she says (again while we are in the bathroom stalls) that I am a bad mom. She said that I have a long road ahead with that boy and I better change my ways b/c I am not doing a good job as a mom right now. BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT JHM TO CRAP HIS PANTS!!!!

The whole time JHM was asking questions like, "what is she talking about", "why is she so loud", "what's going on?"  Poor guy. I just smiled and said she was having a nice night at the movies and just needed to pee really bad.  Whatever lady.

2) This morning I am sitting on the train on the way to work.  A women and a 3 year old get on and there is no where to sit. I wait a while and see that he is kinda antcy and I offer my seat.  The mom accepts gratefully and I stand up.  She says "Oh, you're pregnant, don't worry about it, I didn't realize". I say it's not a big deal, I don't mind standing and no one else is offering, so I really don't mind.  A man near by (knee to knee seat) gets up and offers his seat to the kid and tells me i can have my seat back, I say Ok thank you and sit back down.  Fine. The end. NO.  Twenty minutes later as I am getting off ar my stop the man starts in on me like this:
"Just so you know, I have a bad back. I gave up my seat for you and I have a bad back.  Don't go around judging all men thinking they are lazy and won't get up for a kid or pregnant lady"  He was not being quiet either. Not yelling, but people were looking.  I was trying to get all my things from under my seat and not get stuck inside the train so I didn't really have time to go back at him.  I told him he had me all wrong and I am far from judging all men.  He offered his seat, I did not ask for it.  He kept at it as I was walking out the train doors, repeating that I shouldn't make judgements and to think before I act.  
In my mind all I did was offer a kid my seat and point out the obvious that no one else was moving.  Maybe that was wrong?  Sigh. 

Anyone have similar UGH! stories?

Random Things I Suppose

Josh's Birthday Dinner

Central Park Picnic

 

Things to Remember

Fire Eskate = Fire Escape
Sniber Snap Peas = Sugar Snap Peas
I don't Guess = I don't Care

The other night we were all in the living room, and neither josh or myself wanted to make dinner, so I asked JHM to please go to the kitchen and make us dinner.  He dragged himself up, sighed and said ok.  He walked to the kitchen, opened the fridge and asked if we wanted white eggs (what we call hard boiled, since he hates the yellow part).  We sat on the sofa laughing, and said sure.  He took the two hard boiled eggs off the shelf, closed the fridge and explained that he would crack them, and cut out the yellow part with his own knife.  He moved the stool to the counter and we heard the first egg crack on the counter.  This is when we got up to help him. Sure enough he was standing on his stool, over the sink trying to take the shell off.  We helped him, gave him a butter knife and he cut the egg so we could take out the yolk. We ate the eggs together and then proceeded to make a real dinner.

It was one of my favorite growing up moments so far.  He was so willing to stop playing to go make us dinner and he put a lot of thought and effort into it. Did I mention he is only 2 1/2???  Everyday he impresses me more and more.

New York in the Spring is filled with beautiful flowers (and many other things)

We went to Florida for Mother's Day and had a nice time.  We hung out at the beach and the pool, went strawberry picking, ate a lot and spent time with family. Josh says I judge the success of a vacation by my tan lines, that being said - it was a success!

Beach Hair

"Whoa, look this one is perfect"

 

Grandma telling stories

Guess it was funny

Do you "Love Your Own"?

 

JHM is full of excellent soundbites.  Everyday is something incredible.  One of my favorites that has been going on for a couple months is this:  "I Love My Own".

It usually goes down like this:

"Momma, I love you" 
"Thank, you. I love you too." 

"Dadda, I love you." 
"Thank you, I love you too" 

"I love My Own" (and he pats his chest). 
"Momma and Dadda, Do you love your Own?" 
"Yes, yes we do"

I've liked myself and I suppose always loved myself, but never really give it much thought. Except that I am happy with my life and who I am.  But when he started asking that and he is so sure already at 2.5 that he "loves his own",  It really made me stop and think.  Plus, the way he phrases it: Love My Own. 

I do love my own. I am my own person, I own myself and it's up to me to love me. and I love me. Obviously not perfect. Just me.

I'm glad I have him to teach me that.  Do you love your own?

JHM Overload? Not Possible

I have about 3 draft posts waiting for me to finish. Those can wait. While josh has been working on a very very cool personal project, I am Unbeautiful, and the lights have been set up in the living room, JHM has had some camera time.  I could not narrow down my favorites anymore, so here are 27 pics of him.

!!! He looks 15 here !!!

Empire State of Mind

A few weeks ago for our Young Women's activity the other leaders and I took the girls to Chipolte and then to the top of the Empire State Building.  JM had been there before but as a baby and apparently, he was super impressed this time around.

It was a crappy day, overcast, rainy and a bit cold. We had considered postponing the activity but decided to just go for it.  While we were eating the weather changed. The sky was clearing up and it was a little less cold.  When we got to the top of the ESB the East and South sides were roped off due to the wind. The guard told me they had JUST opened the North and West sides and would soon be opening the others.  Apparently, we got there just in time.

The dark clouds lifted, the wind eased a little (it was still super windy outside) and day was turning into night.  Personally, I think that is best time to see the City from 86 floors above the ground. You watch the sun fade and the city lights up. Literally.

JM's bestie came too (his mom is also a leader in Young Women's) and the two of them had a blast.

Each window was a new experience, and all were positive.  He's obviously pumped.

WOW!  Cool! Beautiful! (repeat)

Atopic Dermatitis, Er... Eczema

this was a bad day, though not the worst.

In the beginning of November, I noticed a few red spots on the back of JM's legs - behind his knees. I joked that he was getting scabies since the summer was over and he was no longer getting his super long daily baths.  Of course it wasn't scabies- it was eczema.  Well, I diagnosed him. I am 99.9999% I am right in this diagnosis.

The small red spots started to spread and inflame.  He would say it hurt and everyday it was looking worse.  I tried coconut oil (my first remedy for anything) and it didn't do anything.  A dear friend of mine made me a special concoction of Comfry powder, wheat germ oil, raw honey, lavender and chamomile, it helped a little, but was too thick to use easily. 

(To skip my drawn out explanation of learning the remedy, scroll down to Recipe for Fighting Eczema)

I turned to listservs and natural bloggers and nutritionists and learned that I should treat it from the inside out.  Makes sense to me.  The biggest common culprit I read about was dairy (big surprise- not). For JM's first year we avoided all dairy.  His body couldn't handle it in my milk when he was a baby and I cut it out of our diets.  With the summer months being as hot as they were, and JM being as cute as he is, we started giving him more ice cream, which lead to us being more relaxed on his dairy.  We were always out and about and would often grab a slice here and there as we walked around the city (which led to a child who LOVES pizza).  We would get Mister Softee or GROM and sit and watch people for hours. 

Because of the humidity of the summer, eczema doesn't tend to be a problem. As soon as the weather changes and the air becomes dry, BAM! bring on the pain.

I decided to cut dairy out of his diet and see if that made a difference.  In the vein of treating from the inside out, two other common remedies were probiotics (which improve milk allergies and aid in fighting inflammation), and fish oil.

After consulting with my favorite natural pharmacists, I started adding 1/8 teaspoon of Commensal to his morning juice.  It was also suggested to give him a teaspoon of fish oil.  He liked it at first, but then stopped.  I am just now beginning to sneak it into his smoothies again.

To ease his comfort and keep his skin moisturized I bought a really thick calendula cream that I put on at night and after his baths.

Long story short, it all worked!  His legs are WAYYYYYYYYYYYYY better. Not just a little bit, a whole lot better. I don't know what part I should thank the most but the combination was perfect.


Recipe for Fighting Eczema:

• Short lukewarm baths 2-3 times a week (with butt washing in between) DO NOT Rub dry. Only pat effected area
• Apply a thick calendula salve to effected area once or twice a day (immediately after a bath while the skin is moist)

bought this at a health food store in NC. This stuff is GREAT

• Add 1/8 teaspoon of Commensal to juice, rice milk or anything cold daily for 30 days, then reduce to every other day

Adult serving is 1/4 teaspoon, cut that in half for kids

• Give one teaspoon of fish oil

This also comes in a kids one, but it is the same thing. Again, serving for adult is 2 teaspoons, just give 1 for a kid.

• NO DAIRY!!!!!!!  Use fake cheese for burritos, use rice or almond milk for everything milk related and use a non-dairy buttery spread in place of butter. We sub So Delicious or tofutti  for ice cream (too much soy is no good either- for a list of other reasons).  A week ago, JM was too qucik and ate some of our regualr cheese while we were prepping for dinner and no joke, his legs were worse for three days after)

I wish I had a really good before and after shot, but I don't.  Picture sad, red, swollen skin, and then don't picture it and you have a good visual.