No Pain, No Gain

WHEW!  What a week!  I know that's how I started my last post, but this week has been a doozie too.  Little Sister is in the throes of teething and it ain't pretty.  Her bottom incisors are coming in and those razor sharp little peggies are giving her a fit!  I'm so distressed because until these recent episodes, Little Sister has shown remarkable resiliency, even when faced with uncomfortable situations.  She rarely cries or complains, except when she's hungry or left alone in her crib (and we all know what that's about).  So, it has been very difficult to see her suffer and be so miserable because of the teething.

With these new teeth coming in, she'll have sprouted eight teeth in under 10 months.  At this rate, she will be the newest patient of Auntie Robin at Astoria Dentistry any day now.  When I called her pediatrician for advice, his sage wisdom was that there is not a lot that can be done, I just have to "ride it out."  I wonder if "ride it out" is an official CPT code.  Of course I've tried all the tried and true measures...Tylenol, cold teething rings, and cold washcloths, but all provided very temporary relief.  It seems as if the good doctor is right...time will take care of this situation.  I have had friends share interesting home remedies, including using catnip, writing the baby's name on an egg, putting turpentine on her foot, etc...  Now what did Arsenio used to say?  "Things that make you go hmmmm..."  It may have worked back in the olden days, but I think I'll pass on writing her name on anything and stapling it over her door.

But, now I have become a big advocate of the Tooth Fairy.  I wholeheartedly agree, kids do deserve a little something when their teeth fall out after going through all this grief and strife when they're coming in.  :-)  But, in the meantime, I guess we'll have to ride it out as I'm sure we'll have to do as she experiences all the different stages of growing pains.

What advice do you moms and dads have out there to relieve teething discomfort?

Upheld!

WHEW!  What a week!  Last week started off on a stressful note as Little Sister came down with an awful bug on Sunday night, which ended up in a trip to the pediatric emergency room.  Luckily, it wasn't anything that time and Piadalyte couldn't resolve. But, as I sat in the ER that night and as I spoke to her doctor who called to check on her a few days later, I couldn't help but be thankful to God for the fact that we have insurance coverage, which allows us to seek medical attention any time we need it.  Unfortunately that's not the case for millions of Americans and countless other citizens of the world.  After the Supreme Court upheld the key provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, I had every intention of writing a blog about the ramifications of the decision.  But, of course, life sucked up all my free moments.  However, as I reflect on my first stressful experience of having to care for a suddenly ill baby, I would be remiss in not acknowledging how blessed my family is for having insurance and what the Affordable Care Act can mean for millions of uninsured and underinsured Americans.

The initial passage of the Affordable Care Act resulted in an immediate lift for lots of families in that it established the maximum age at which a parent could cover a child on their insurance to age 26.  Prior to that, there was no regulation and insurance companies typically stopped covering a dependent child once they hit 18 or when they were no longer a college student.  Now, of course I'm hoping that by the time Little Sister turns 26, she will be independent and standing on her own two feet, but in today's economy, this was welcome news for families with adult kids who have "boomeranged" back home for various reasons and haven't quite made their way in the world. In addition, the new law includes provisions that prevent insurance companies from denying coverage to children under the age of 19 because of a pre-existing condition.  And most recently, on August 1, new provisions took effect that expanded preventive health services for women.  Now, many preventive services that women used to have to pay a co-pay to receive are mandated to be provided without cost sharing (NO CO-PAY!) on the part of the patient.  This means Well Woman visits, contraception, breastfeeding support, domestic violence screening and support and a whole host of comprehensive preventive health services will be available for women at no cost.

With the Supreme Court ruling that affirmed the law's constitutionality, states can move forward with developing Affordable Insurance Exchanges, which will allow individuals and small businesses to compare and enroll in a health plan that meets their need.  This means that come 2014, folks, like many of my family members and friends, who are employed but cannot afford their company's insurance or who are unemployed, will be able to turn to the exchange to find affordable coverage.  And unlike the old adage, "you get what you pay for," to be certified and offered in an exchange, the plan has to provide at a minimum Essential Health Benefits, which is a comprehensive range of services.  So, consumers can rest assured that whatever plan they select, there is a pretty good minimum level of coverage that can be expected.  While health reform is a political hot potato, the significance of getting this legislation passed and upheld by the Supreme Court is historic.  American legislators have been grappling with this issue since 1915 and until now, no president has been able to broker a deal between the powerful lobbies, special interests and constituencies that previously could not successfully come together to craft a solution.

But, having health insurance is only part of the equation to maintaining good health.  Having good health is influenced more by the decisions we make on a daily basis, such as what we eat, how physically active we are, and whether we are emotionally healthy than whether or not we have a primary care physician.  Unfortunately, in many pockets of the U.S., chronic and infectious diseases are taking a heavy toll.  However, my hope is that with the Affordable Care Act, with increased access to preventive care and tertiary care, all Americans will have access to the information and services needed to live long and productive lives.

By the way, Little Sister was fine after a few days.  Mama and Grandma, on the other hand, didn't fare so well.  The week ended up being a total bust for me because I caught what she had and ended up laid up unable work.  And I knew we were in big trouble on the morning I woke up and Grandma had been taken out by this bug.  Sadly, even Skip, the pup, got sick.  Needless to say, we were a sad, sorry bunch.  But, this week is a new day and we are all happy, healthy and well!

Food for thought...

Just Call Me Bob Vila

So, this weekend I had to face one of my biggest fears about becoming a parent.  I had to tackle those three dreaded words that strike fear in the hearts of most moms and dads...SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED.  The time had come (actually the time was long past) for Little Sister to get a highchair.  I had put it off because I could not find one that I liked.  I had seen the one that I knew that I would want, but I saw it while I was pregnant and thought, "Oh, I won't need that for a while, so I will worry about buying that later."  Of course, as EVERYONE has told me, the time has flown by and lo and behold, she's crawling, sitting up and eating solids.  When I drug Daddy-O to the big box store to buy it, it was gone!  The store no longer carried it!  What I was left with were highchairs that bore an uncanny resemblance to Old Sparky (NEXT!) or vinyl and plastic monstrosities that had zero style and panache.  So, I was left to my last resort...order from the Internet and put it together myself.  Actually, the plan was to have Daddy-O put it together, but when it arrived, Grandma chided me for being a wuss and not tackling this myself.  Of course no one likes being called a wuss, so I rolled up my sleeves, put on my internal soundtrack of "I am Woman" and got to it.  Amazingly, it only required 7 screws (which were included) and within 2 hours we were in business!  Just kidding, actually it took about 15 minutes to put together.  So hey, I am ready to tackle putting together bikes and dollhouses at Christmas (to help out Santa, of course) and I think I'm ready to try building a cordwood house!  Bob Vila ain't got nothing on me!  :-)

U-S-A!

U-S-A!  On Tuesday night I stayed up until the wee hours watching NBC’s tape-delayed broadcast of the Women’s Gymnastics All Around finals.  No, I’m not here to complain about NBC’s Olympics telecast (although I was thoroughly disgusted because I found out the results several hours before the event was broadcast).  I’m just here to wish them well.  As Kyla Ross said on The Today Show, those young ladies “rocked the house.”  I can’t wait until tonight’s broadcast to see how Gabby Douglas and Aly Raisman fare in the individual all-around competition.

Like many parents, as I watch Gabby and Cullen and Maya, I have Olympic dreams for Little Sister.  While I doubt that she’ll be a 4’11’’ pixie powerhouse that flies through the air on the gymnastics apparati, in my mind’s eye I can see her excelling in swimming or tennis or maybe rowing.  Or better yet, if bouncing was an Olympic sport, she’d be a gold medal winner without a doubt.  Now that she is crawling and pulling up, her favorite pastime is bouncing up and down NON-STOP.  One thing is for sure, she has A LOT of energy, so I know as she grows older, Daddy-O and I will be challenged to find creative ways for her to burn off all that energy.  But, whether she tries for Olympic gold or is more interested in academic pursuits (or both), she’ll always have me in her corner cheering her on.

The Power of 3G

I love 3G.  No, I'm not talking about some fancy schmancy mobile network, I'm referring to the three generations of women with whom I currently reside.  My mother arrived for an extended visit about a month ago.  While here, she has taken over the lion's share of caring for Little Sister.  I must say, it's quite nice to wake up in the morning and get up and go knowing that my mom has everything under control with regard to caring for Little Sister.  It has also been quite nice on the pocketbook to have some relief from daycare expenses.  But, most importantly, I'm loving watching the bond that has formed between Little Sister and her grandmother.  They are two peas in a pod.  My mom has been here through some significant transitions in Little Sister's development - she helped transition her to solid food, she has been here through her teething and most recently, Little Sister has started to sit up on her own.  She's growing up so quickly and I'm glad my mom is here to share in these moments.  But, I must admit that I am a bit jealous about the royal treatment that Little Sister is receiving.  Undivided attention, spa baths and rubdowns are just the beginning.  I knew my mother had taken things a bit far when I came home and she had ironed Little Sister's onesies.  Now, who in their right mind irons onesies?!  I can honestly say I don't remember my onesies getting ironed...nevermind the fact that I would have been too young to remember such a detail.  But, I checked in with my sisters and they don't recall having their onesies ironed nor do they recall my mother ironing mine.  And since I was the little sister, trust me, my big sisters remembered every act that could possibly be considered favoritism.  An ironed onesie definitely qualifies.  But, it's all good.  My mother is happy and Little Sister is happy and that's all that matters.

Being Elmo

One of the things that I absolutely love about being a mom is the manner in which it has strengthened my relationship with my sisters.  I have two big sisters who were always protective and nurturing of me, but they have rallied around me like none other since the moment I told them that I was pregnant.  Quiet as it's kept, Little Sister has THREE mamas.  :-)  They have been so willing to share advice, crazy stories about labor and delivery, and the joys (and challenges) of raising seven phenomenal kids between the two of them.  Recently, one of my sisters recommended that I check out the documentary Being Elmo.  It's the story of Kevin Clash, the puppeteer behind the beloved Sesame Street muppet, Elmo.  As her 20 year old stated, "I think every parent should have to watch this documentary in the hospital after they give birth.."  It is absolutely phenomenal.  After I finished watching it...and stopped sobbing...my sister and I had a long discussion about the core parenting principles that this film exemplified.  As an attorney representing the interests of abused and neglected children, my sister has seen so many instances of when parenting goes horribly wrong, so this movie was a much needed break from her day-to-day reality of assisting troubled families.  As she reflected on the movie, she wrote down her thoughts on parenting as it relates to this movie.  Below are her reflections.  THANKS SIS!

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I typically share my love of a movie or news article with my boys so that we can all eventually share in the experience. After watching the documentary “Being Elmo” I did the same.  My 20 year old was the first to take me up on the offer to watch. He is in his third year of college and just finishing an engineering internship at General Dynamics. His first reaction was, “I think every parent should have to watch this documentary in the hospital after they give birth.” He continued, “That was the most inspirational movie I have ever seen.” I too enjoyed the movie, especially the part where “the real Elmo,” Kevin Clash, explained his father and mother’s reaction after he used his father’s coat to create his first puppet.

I penned a few nuggets of parenting wisdom that I took away from the film just in case a maternity ward somewhere wants to start showing the 1 hour 16 minute film:

• Recognize your child’s gift:  Kevin tells us that his father’s reaction to his cut up coat was, ”Just ask the next time.” What was it that made Kevin’s parents’ reaction so mild? Why wasn’t their natural reaction rage or anger?  Kevin’s parents not only understood their child’s gift of creativity, they also knew their power as parents – the power to strike down that creativity or to nurture it forward.

• Keep the dream alive:  Get your child as close to their dream as possible.  As Kevin tells the story, when he came home and told his mother he wanted to meet Kermit Love, she did not kill his aspiration by telling him she did not have the funds to take him on a trip to meet the famed puppeteer. What she did instead was track down Kermit Love to find out how she could further her child’s dream to meet him.  She kept his dream alive, which eventually became real when Kevin went on a school trip to New York.

• Provide a legacy: When Kevin was “thrown” a chance to bring the lifeless body of Elmo to life, Kevin recognized it as an opportunity. He traveled home to find the spirit of Elmo and there he rediscovered his mother’s legacy of caring for children in her home daycare. Kevin realized that it was his mother’s legacy of love for children that he would use to create the Elmo that we now know and love.

• Spend time with your child while there is time to spend: The scene in the movie where Kevin Clash celebrates his daughter’s 16^th birthday brings tears. Mr. Clash’s realization that he sacrificed time with his daughter while working as Elmo says it all. 

• Pay it forward: Parents must be examples to their children and show them, not teach them, that everyone has something to contribute to society, no matter what our station in life and no matter how much money we have or don’t have.  Kevin’s mentoring of aspiring puppeteers furthers Elmo’s legacy of love. 

Food, Glorious Food!

I have found that since Little Sister's arrival, finding time to cook and eat has become one of life's little luxuries.  But, as I've posted before, I have to take care of myself so that I can take care of her.  During the week, I find that I usually grab a bocadillo or paella from one of my favorite spots or eat a bowl of cereal and call it a night.  During the weekend, I do indulge my culinary skills to whip up something creative for me and Daddy-O.  Since I'm always on the lookout to find dishes that are easy to prepare, yet pack a nutritional punch, I have recently discovered quinoa (pronounced keen-wah).  I think this is the tastiest export ever from Bolivia.  If you haven't checked out this superfood, you must do so soon.  It's high in protein and fiber, and has a warm, nutty flavor.  Contrary to popular belief, it is not a grain, but closely related to the spinach and beet family...go figure.  It's the perfect side dish, but since it pairs so well with meats and veggies, it can also be the main course.  It can be prepared savory or sweet; served hot or cold; it's extremely versatile.

This past weekend, I whipped up two great meals for some specials friends.  With Daddy-O as my sous chef to prep the onions, tomatoes and garlic, cooking time was minimal.  Check out the recipes below.

Blackened Tilapia with Wilted Spinach & Grape Tomatoes

Quinoa with Satuéed Onions & Garlic

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water or chicken broth
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large vidalia onion
3 cloves garlic
salt & pepper to taste

1. Bring quinoa and water/broth to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes.
2.  While quinoa is cooking, chop onion into thin slivers.  Mince garlic.  Sautée both in olive oil until the onions are translucent and the garlic is starting to brown. 
3. Once quinoa has absorbed all of the water, stir in sautéed onion & garlic mixture.

Pan Seared Halibut 

2 - 8oz fillets of halibut
1 lemon
olive oil
Carolina Seafood Blend from The Fresh Market

1. Place halibut (skin side up) in a shallow bowl.  Squeeze lemon on top.  Add olive oil.  Add Carolina Seafood Blend seasoning.  Let marinate for 15 minutes.
2. Heat olive oil in pan.  Sear halibut flesh side down for 3-4 minutes.  Flip over and sear skin side down for 3-4 minutes.  
3. Add marinade to the pan.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.  Fish is ready to serve when it's easy to flake with a fork.

Blackened Tilapia with Wilted Spinach & Grape Tomatoes

4 fillets of tilapia
Blackened Seasoning
1 bag baby spinach
1 thinly sliced shallot
one small crate grape tomatoes - cut in half

1. Place tilapia in shallow bowl.  Squeeze one lemon on top.  Season with blackened seasoning.  Let marinate for 5 - 10 minutes.  Do not let it marinate for too long, or else you'll end up with ceviche because tilapia is so thin.
2. In a nice sized pan, pan sear the tilapia in olive oil.  If necessary, pan sear the pieces in separate batches, but in the end, all pieces should be layered in the pan.
3. In a separate pan, sautée shallots in olive oil.  Add bag of baby spinach and sautée until slightly wilted.
4. Add spinach to pan of blackened tilapia.  Add grape tomatoes to tilapia & spinach.
5. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Bon Appétit