Of course mere days after writing the post about living with our three year old, Griffin changed course. Drew and I should be used to that by now. Children are amazing, but fickle creatures.
Luckily, he's gone back to being INCREDIBLE. I'm not kidding. The past 4-5 days, he has just been so. unbelievably. good. There are FAR fewer tantrums, he is protectively sharing with his sister, he is cooperating and helping around the house. He hasn't even had any potty accidents in nearly a week (knock on wood here)! I'm beyond proud.
The past few days have allowed me to see what a big kid he's really becoming. In so many ways I'm very relieved. And, of course, in other ways I'm a bit sad. I can see why younger siblings get babied- it's hard to let go!
In related news, he is moving up! As of next Monday, Griffin will officially be in pre-school. Such a big milestone for him (and a bit less expensive for us)! We're very excited!
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Monday, April 28, 2014
(W)edding
This weekend was incredibly busy, which is why this post is a bit late! On Saturday, we got to attend the wedding of my good friend, Stacey. It kicked off wedding season for us as we have three to attend in the next few months!
I love weddings. Each one is so unique and a true reflection of the couple's personality. It is always interesting to see the creative touches or think about what I would have done differently! Stacey and Ben's was no exception. They had an evening wedding and reception in an artsy and eclectic organic restaurant in downtown Denver. Their decorations were vibrant, playful and a rainbow of colors. And their ceremony was beautiful, heartfelt, and utterly unique. I adored it. I also got to get all dressed up- something a never get to do! HUGE bonus.
I also got to see lots of old friends from my job at DU which was awesome! We got to catch up, eat, drink & dance. So much fun.
I'm looking forward to the next two!
I love weddings. Each one is so unique and a true reflection of the couple's personality. It is always interesting to see the creative touches or think about what I would have done differently! Stacey and Ben's was no exception. They had an evening wedding and reception in an artsy and eclectic organic restaurant in downtown Denver. Their decorations were vibrant, playful and a rainbow of colors. And their ceremony was beautiful, heartfelt, and utterly unique. I adored it. I also got to get all dressed up- something a never get to do! HUGE bonus.
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| pic of me taken by Griff. not so good. |
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| pic of me taken by Drew. not much better. |
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| dark selfie |
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| me & the beautiful bride |
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| some of my favorite girls |
Friday, April 25, 2014
(V)egetarian
When I was in high school, my dad took us to the book store and let us pick out anything we wanted. I remember scanning the shelves, picking things up and putting them back down again, and then I settled on something fairly random- Animal Liberation. I had never stopped to think about what we eat or the treatment of animals, or anything like that before. I don't even know why I chose the book to begin with. But it opened my eyes in a profound, albeit naive, way and I stopped eating meat for nearly 4 years. It wasn't until someone offered me a bite of grilled steak in college that I started eating meat again. And then I just tried to shut my eyes and forget why I had been a non meat-eater to begin with.
Fast forward to 2007 when I read another book- Harvest for Hope. This book also opened my eyes to what we eat, but in different ways. It was then that I committed myself to purchasing local, organic, non-GMO, ethically and humanely raised and grown foods as much as possible. I never stopped- that is still something I feel truly passionate about, ESPECIALLY now that I have children.
So for the past 7 years, I have eaten meat, but it is generally purchased from farms I know and trust, where the animals are treated with respect. That means a lot to us, and has made us feel much better about our decision. But, the fact of the matter is, I just really don't enjoy meat. I am very weird about texture, and 90% of the time whatever meat I'm eating would gross me out, ending up in a waste. And I also know that meat eating, especially red meat, is not so healthy- no matter how well it is treated. So we cut back dramatically. I only incorporated meat into about 1/4 of our meals, and even then it was an add-in, not the main focus. It made me feel better, but I still wasn't satisfied.
The problem is, I actually have no problem with meat eaters. I would never pass judgement on someone for how they decide to feed themselves- especially since humans are legitimately omnivores. This means I actually want my kids to eat meat- they need the protein! And I would never try to convince my husband (with his limited palate as it is) to give up meat. So I felt like I was stuck. Since I'm the primary chef and I am feeding meat eaters, meat it is, right?
And then about a month ago I took a step back and looked at my life as a whole. I'm a happy person, but I also wasn't taking enough time for myself. It seemed like everything I did was for someone else- down to the way I was eating. One of my good friends is a vegetarian married to an omnivore, so it can be done! I made the leap. Many of our meals are exactly as they would have been, occasionally I need to cook a separate protein for the family- and that's ok. I am SO much happier with myself. I feel healthier and like I'm living up to my own standards and ideals. I think it also helps that I'm not crazy, so I'm fine with picking meat off of things or occasionally ingesting something that had added chicken stock etc. instead of freaking out about the sanctity or purity of my food.
It's been over a month now and I think I can officially call myself a vegetarian again. I'm pretty proud of myself for making a change for ME.
Fast forward to 2007 when I read another book- Harvest for Hope. This book also opened my eyes to what we eat, but in different ways. It was then that I committed myself to purchasing local, organic, non-GMO, ethically and humanely raised and grown foods as much as possible. I never stopped- that is still something I feel truly passionate about, ESPECIALLY now that I have children.
So for the past 7 years, I have eaten meat, but it is generally purchased from farms I know and trust, where the animals are treated with respect. That means a lot to us, and has made us feel much better about our decision. But, the fact of the matter is, I just really don't enjoy meat. I am very weird about texture, and 90% of the time whatever meat I'm eating would gross me out, ending up in a waste. And I also know that meat eating, especially red meat, is not so healthy- no matter how well it is treated. So we cut back dramatically. I only incorporated meat into about 1/4 of our meals, and even then it was an add-in, not the main focus. It made me feel better, but I still wasn't satisfied.
The problem is, I actually have no problem with meat eaters. I would never pass judgement on someone for how they decide to feed themselves- especially since humans are legitimately omnivores. This means I actually want my kids to eat meat- they need the protein! And I would never try to convince my husband (with his limited palate as it is) to give up meat. So I felt like I was stuck. Since I'm the primary chef and I am feeding meat eaters, meat it is, right?
And then about a month ago I took a step back and looked at my life as a whole. I'm a happy person, but I also wasn't taking enough time for myself. It seemed like everything I did was for someone else- down to the way I was eating. One of my good friends is a vegetarian married to an omnivore, so it can be done! I made the leap. Many of our meals are exactly as they would have been, occasionally I need to cook a separate protein for the family- and that's ok. I am SO much happier with myself. I feel healthier and like I'm living up to my own standards and ideals. I think it also helps that I'm not crazy, so I'm fine with picking meat off of things or occasionally ingesting something that had added chicken stock etc. instead of freaking out about the sanctity or purity of my food.
It's been over a month now and I think I can officially call myself a vegetarian again. I'm pretty proud of myself for making a change for ME.
Thursday, April 24, 2014
(U)nderstanding
Griffin and Evvie are best friends. Even down to translation services. Lately whenever Evvie goes on a jibberish rant (which is a lot), Griffin tells me very matter of factly what she has said or he has actual conversations with her.
For example, yesterday I was getting them into the car and this happened:
Evvie: *unintelligible*
Griffin: yes, we're going to school, Evvie.
Evvie: *unintelligible*
Griffin: we love you too!
Evvie: *unintelligible*
Griffin: I know you like school. That's good.
Evvie: *unintelligible*
Griffin: well, I dont care what you think.
Then this morning Evvie was babbling and Griffin says: "she said she wants you to pinch her, mommy".
Me: she did not!
Evvie: *babble*
Griffin: oh, I guess she said kiss.
For example, yesterday I was getting them into the car and this happened:
Evvie: *unintelligible*
Griffin: yes, we're going to school, Evvie.
Evvie: *unintelligible*
Griffin: we love you too!
Evvie: *unintelligible*
Griffin: I know you like school. That's good.
Evvie: *unintelligible*
Griffin: well, I dont care what you think.
Then this morning Evvie was babbling and Griffin says: "she said she wants you to pinch her, mommy".
Me: she did not!
Evvie: *babble*
Griffin: oh, I guess she said kiss.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
(T)hree
Griffin has always been a handful. He is determined, independent, smart, and focused. Those things will serve him extremely well as an adult. As a child, however, they can be difficult to say the least. While he's never been the easiest kid to parent, three has been- so far- the absolute worst. It is a combination of the lingering temper tantrums of two mixed with his new excellent language skills. It's like parenting a drunk teenager.
Drew and I have been talking about this a lot lately. We know it is a phase he will grow out of. We know that he is still at his core a sweet and wonderful little boy. We know it is likely just as stressful for him as it is for us. We know that one day we will passionately miss our three year old and will wonder where the time went! But still, at the end of the day, it is exhausting.
The good thing is that once it blows over, Drew and I manage to have a sense of humor about it. In some ways it has probably made us even closer.
I gotta say I am looking forward to 4 though.
Drew and I have been talking about this a lot lately. We know it is a phase he will grow out of. We know that he is still at his core a sweet and wonderful little boy. We know it is likely just as stressful for him as it is for us. We know that one day we will passionately miss our three year old and will wonder where the time went! But still, at the end of the day, it is exhausting.
The good thing is that once it blows over, Drew and I manage to have a sense of humor about it. In some ways it has probably made us even closer.
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| making the best of a bad situation |
I gotta say I am looking forward to 4 though.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
(S)ustenance
I went back to the doctor a few weeks ago because I was having PCOS symptoms again. They had pretty much disappeared during my pregnancy with Evvie, but as she got older and my body started to regulate itself again, I was seeing some of the same old issues.
PCOS can affect you in 3 major ways: infertility, immediate physical symptoms (weight gain, hair loss etc), and the possibility of long term health issues (diabetes, heart disease, cancer). Although Drew and I are not planning on having any more children, it is really important to me that I have control of my health and that I take action in the ways that I can.
My doctor put me on three different prescriptions to regulate my insulin levels and hormones, encouraged me to take certain supplements, and praised me for taking control. But he told me the two very biggest factors to preventing any PCOS related damage was sticking to a specific diet and getting adequate exercise (30 mins of cardio 5 days a week and 15 mins of strength training 3 times a week).
The PCOS diet is low glycemic and is very similar to the anti-inflammatory diet , only with less pasta and fruit. Specifically, I need to completely cut out starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn, refined sugars, and white breads and pastas. I've known this for years, but I relaxed on it while I was pregnant and nursing, and never quite got strict about it again.
In addition to following the PCOS diet, I decided about a month ago to go back to being a vegetarian. I very rarely ate meat anymore as it was, and I generally didnt enjoy it when I was eating it. I will talk more about why I chose vegetarian in a later post, but for the last few weeks, I had been lax on that as well (mostly with bacon. ohhh, sweet bacon).
So finally I said enough. Enough pretending these foods are ok to put in my body. Enough putting things off, enough waiting for the "right time". I just needed to get on it. So to kick things off, I decided to do a cleanse with my friend, Amy. It isnt about losing weight or depriving myself, it is more about reprogramming my body to crave healthy foods and to get past the desire for all the things I need to cut out all at once.
Our cleanse is actually very easy and gentle. It's called a "juice cleanse", but there is no fasting or limiting to liquids. Each day you drink herbal tea, a protein shake, 100% fruit juice, LOTS of water and you can eat as many raw fruits as you want, and then fewer raw vegetables. But that's it. So for an example, here was my day yesterday:
wake up: herbal tea
breakfast: protein shake & grapes
snack: pear & juice
lunch: fruit salad, carrots & celery
snack: banana & juice
dinner: green salad with tomatoes & cucumber dressed with lemon juice
evening: herbal tea
The one thing we noticed: we were never hungry! The second thing we noticed (after today) we are craving not fried foods or desserts, but cooked vegetables! Right path indeed! It's still not any way FUN. It's actually way too sweet for me, and it requires a LOT of planning and packing. But it's almost over, and I think I'm accomplishing what I wanted to!
PCOS can affect you in 3 major ways: infertility, immediate physical symptoms (weight gain, hair loss etc), and the possibility of long term health issues (diabetes, heart disease, cancer). Although Drew and I are not planning on having any more children, it is really important to me that I have control of my health and that I take action in the ways that I can.
My doctor put me on three different prescriptions to regulate my insulin levels and hormones, encouraged me to take certain supplements, and praised me for taking control. But he told me the two very biggest factors to preventing any PCOS related damage was sticking to a specific diet and getting adequate exercise (30 mins of cardio 5 days a week and 15 mins of strength training 3 times a week).
The PCOS diet is low glycemic and is very similar to the anti-inflammatory diet , only with less pasta and fruit. Specifically, I need to completely cut out starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn, refined sugars, and white breads and pastas. I've known this for years, but I relaxed on it while I was pregnant and nursing, and never quite got strict about it again.
In addition to following the PCOS diet, I decided about a month ago to go back to being a vegetarian. I very rarely ate meat anymore as it was, and I generally didnt enjoy it when I was eating it. I will talk more about why I chose vegetarian in a later post, but for the last few weeks, I had been lax on that as well (mostly with bacon. ohhh, sweet bacon).
So finally I said enough. Enough pretending these foods are ok to put in my body. Enough putting things off, enough waiting for the "right time". I just needed to get on it. So to kick things off, I decided to do a cleanse with my friend, Amy. It isnt about losing weight or depriving myself, it is more about reprogramming my body to crave healthy foods and to get past the desire for all the things I need to cut out all at once.
Our cleanse is actually very easy and gentle. It's called a "juice cleanse", but there is no fasting or limiting to liquids. Each day you drink herbal tea, a protein shake, 100% fruit juice, LOTS of water and you can eat as many raw fruits as you want, and then fewer raw vegetables. But that's it. So for an example, here was my day yesterday:
wake up: herbal tea
breakfast: protein shake & grapes
snack: pear & juice
lunch: fruit salad, carrots & celery
snack: banana & juice
dinner: green salad with tomatoes & cucumber dressed with lemon juice
evening: herbal tea
The one thing we noticed: we were never hungry! The second thing we noticed (after today) we are craving not fried foods or desserts, but cooked vegetables! Right path indeed! It's still not any way FUN. It's actually way too sweet for me, and it requires a LOT of planning and packing. But it's almost over, and I think I'm accomplishing what I wanted to!
Monday, April 21, 2014
(R)evelry
This was such an unbelievably beautiful weekend. The kids were feeling better, it was warm and bright, and we spent so much time having fun.
On Saturday we went down to the park and let Griffin use his scooter along the bike path to the playground. The kid is a natural! And he had an absolute blast.
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Evvie is a daredevil just like her brother and LOVES to go flying down the slide by herself.
Later that night we colored Easter eggs. Not the easiest task with two kids that want nothing more than to spread dye far and wide. They had a great time though, the eggs turned out beautifully, and only a few articles of clothing were ruined.
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Then yesterday the Easter bunny came! Griffin and Evvie got to hunt for eggs and treats. They made quite the haul.
And then we had Easter lunch at Grandma and Grandpa's where we visited, played outside, and found out the Easter bunny had visited again!
We got home with plenty of time to open all the windows and enjoy the breeze before snuggling in to watch Frozen before bed. Awesome weekend, for sure.
On Saturday we went down to the park and let Griffin use his scooter along the bike path to the playground. The kid is a natural! And he had an absolute blast.
Evvie is a daredevil just like her brother and LOVES to go flying down the slide by herself.
Later that night we colored Easter eggs. Not the easiest task with two kids that want nothing more than to spread dye far and wide. They had a great time though, the eggs turned out beautifully, and only a few articles of clothing were ruined.
Then yesterday the Easter bunny came! Griffin and Evvie got to hunt for eggs and treats. They made quite the haul.
And then we had Easter lunch at Grandma and Grandpa's where we visited, played outside, and found out the Easter bunny had visited again!
We got home with plenty of time to open all the windows and enjoy the breeze before snuggling in to watch Frozen before bed. Awesome weekend, for sure.
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