Those Who Can...

One of Little Sister’s former teachers wrote a post on Facebook lamenting the lack of respect that she and her colleagues receive as educators of the smallest of small pumpkins.  All I can say to whoever disrespected her profession is “a pox on your house!”  Unfortunately, early childhood educators often do not receive the respect that they deserve.  In fact, most educators are not given the respect that they are due.  Well, I am here to say THANK YOU!  After Little Sister was born, I was only able to take six weeks off.  I was not entitled to the job protections guaranteed by FMLA because I had been in my job less than one year (that’s another blog for another day - until then, read this).  So, after six incredibly short weeks of bonding with my baby, I had to hand her over to the care of complete strangers and trust that they would care for her as well as I would.  Those “strangers” are now my extended family.  The confidence they instilled in me regarding their ability to care for my child allowed me to return to work without fear and trepidation.  I was able to focus on a demanding job without constant concern or doubt about her well-being.  Now, two years later, it fills my heart with joy each morning when I drop her off and she gives her former and current teachers big hugs to start their day.  Without these ladies, Little Sister probably would have had better luck being raised by a pack of wolves.  As a new – and older – mom, I was totally at a loss about how to care for an infant.  These ladies have helped me out every step of the way.  From helping me transition Little Sister from milk to solids, to managing teething trials and tribulations, to helping her as an only child learn to share with others, to now helping with potty training, the impact that they’ve had on her life and mine is immeasurable.  Before I became a mom, I didn’t give much thought to preschool and other early childhood professionals, but now it’s something that I think about and am grateful for every single day.

Each day millions of kids, from infants to teens, are left in care of incredibly talented, passionate, creative, and dedicated teachers.  While most days the teachers and kids go about the same daily routine, when the need arises, these teachers without hesitation spring into action to protect OUR kids. I am reminded of the recent incident in Decatur, GA where Antoinette Tuff singlehandedly thwarted a mass school shooting by talking down a crazed gunman.  Or the daycare workers who protected their young charges during a deadly tornado.  These women demonstrated nerves of steel and Mama Grizzly instincts to protect the young. I think we all need to reflect on the importance of these educators in our lives, whether we have kids or not.  Each day they take on the incredible task of keeping our kids safe and sound, while also teaching them how to become model citizens.   Nelba Marquez-Greene, mother of Sandy Hook victim Ana Grace, expressed it perfectly in her poignant open letter to all teachers when she said, "It takes guts to be a teacher."  Their work is difficult, low paying and may sometimes seem thankless.  But, I am here today, and every day, to say THANK YOU!  You are loved and appreciated!

So, those who can… and do… TEACH!

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

This past week my daily commute went from extremely annoying to positively hellacious.  No, it wasn’t because of a new construction project in the ATL (on-going construction is a given in this city), no it was because my favorite radio station, WCLK, changed formats from an eclectic mix of funk, soul and jazz to tepid, saxophone soaked "smooth jazz."  You may be wondering, “How on Earth could a radio station format change be such a big deal?” and to that I’d say, “You must have never listened to WCLK.”  When I moved to Atlanta a few years ago, I quickly found and fell in love with the station.  The morning and afternoon DJs pumped me up to get me ready for work – I can’t live without my Morris Motivation - and kept me sane during afternoon commutes when everybody was fleeing the city.  Nowhere else was I able to hear the music of my namesake, and be introduced to acts that would never stand a chance of making it to the playlists of most commercial radio stations.  In a time when the world is subjected to Miley Cyrus’s singing and twerking, WCLK was a breath of fresh air for those who wanted a break from popular music that’s being force fed to the masses.  Jamal and Morris introduced listeners to independent acts such as Snarky Puppy, Avery Sunshine, Soul Cycle, Omar, Dei Va, N'dambi Blue all while keeping fan favorites, such as Incognito, Maysa and Ronny Jordan in heavy rotation.  And most importantly, they played music that was not bleeped every two seconds to censor curse words.  Now that I’m a mother, these are things I have to consider. Imagine my delight a few Fridays ago when I glimpsed into my rearview mirror and saw Little Sister clapping and having a FunkyGood Time as Morris made quick work of the morning commute.

The station management has explained that recent marketing research showed that the station needed to evolve to garner more listener support.  It has been widely reported that while the station has a listenership of approximately 100,000 people, only a paltry 1,900 turn their listenership into membership.  So, in other words, the listeners don’t put their money where their mouth is.  I will admit, when I moved to ATL, during the first membership campaign I heard, I eagerly signed on as a member; however, as time went on, I did not renew.  I got too busy, I forgot, I figured others would contribute, and the list of excuses goes on and on.  Bottom line, I got complacent and I took the radio station and those who work so hard to produce such wonderful programming for granted.  Shame on me. 

Who knows what the future holds for the station and their dedicated staff.  I’m a part of a “small, vocal group ofsupporters,” who are asking the station to reconsider this decision and unshackle their on-air talent and let them do what they do best.  Petitions and Facebook pages have been created to help supporters of the old format advocate for a return to the previous format.  If they do, I will be the first in line every year to pledge my support.  Until then, there’s Pandora.

You Give Me Fever

Last week Little Sister spiked a fever and was kicked out of daycare.  Like many moms, I turned to my fellow mom experts in my circle of friends and the Internet to figure out what to do.  Luckily, my sister was here as well, which gave me a huge measure of comfort and confidence to try to manage it at home first before racing to the ER, which is my usual m.o. (not really, but kinda)  We were able to successfully manage the episode and Little Sister was back to her usual rambunctious self within 24 hours.  This episode motivated me to read up on fevers on Baby Center and the knowledge I gained was invaluable.  Little did I know, less than a week later I would be using that information to help a friend who had turned to me when her little one spiked a fever.  I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, but based on what she shared with me, I strongly encouraged her to go to the ER because while my experience with Little Sister's fever seemed to be mild and episodic, my friend's little angel's situation seemed more serious.  After things were under control, my friend and I were texting and she thanked me for encouraging her to take her little one in to be evaluated even though they had just been in the doctor's office the previous day.  She said she didn't want to be "that mom" that "bothered" the doctor for every runny nose or sore throat.  I've learned that moms (and dads) have to balance a delicate line between calling the doctor unnecessarily and potentially entering a danger zone from not seeking medical attention soon enough.  But, as the old adage goes "better safe than sorry."  I'm just glad I had a little bit of knowledge to be helpful and I'm so proud of the fact that I'm in my friend's circle of mom gurus that she trusts to turn to for love, support and parenting pearls of wisdom.

Beet It!

So, one of the things I love about being Little Sister's mom (besides the hugs and kisses) is she is making me get in the kitchen and step up my culinary game.  As a health educator by training (GO BULLS!), I know all about eating my 5 A Day, the importance of regular exercise and how important it is to brush and floss.  I also know that health habits that stick with us are established early in childhood and are influenced largely by our parents' behavior.  So, now faced with the heady responsibility of helping Little Miss start off on the right foot, I am trying to model health behaviors that I have struggled with in the past.

As a single woman, nights like tonight would have found me swinging in to Chick-Fil-A, ordering pizza from Varasano's or talking a girlfriend or two into meeting me over at Tamarind Seed for dinner and drinks.   Now that I'm a mom, I have to be diligent about carving out time to prepare healthy and yummy food for Little Sister.  I must admit, I do long for the days when all I had to do was pop a bottle in her mouth or pop open a jar of baby food, but with 12 teeth (including 4 molars), home girl is ready to E-A-T!  So, I've been whipping up meals like never before.  One of my "go to" foods is still quinoa.  I wrote about my love of quinoa before and I'm happy to report the love affair is still going strong.  I've come to appreciate it even more because I found it was the PERFECT food to give Little Sister as she transitioned from baby food to solids.  It has texture, but the grains are so small, they're not likely to pose a choking hazard.  Luckily, she's an adventurous eater and loves her veggies.  It warms my heart every time I pull out a head of broccoli and she squeals in excitement and claps.  I mean, who claps for broccoli?!?  So, we're making good headway on the culinary front, now if someone could help me get a little more energy to take daily walks, we'd be good.  Alas, one step at a time...literally and figuratively.

Curry Essence Quinoa & Mixed Veggies

Curry Essence Quinoa & Mixed Veggies

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water or chicken broth
1 tbsp curry powder
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large vidalia onion
3 cloves garlic
1 cup sliced fresh beets
2 cup thinly sliced kale
2 cup thinly sliced napa cabbage
salt & pepper to taste

1. Bring quinoa, curry powder 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. Add the beets and sautee until they begin to soften.
4. Add kale and napa cabbage to the beets.  Sautee until all the veggies have cooked to your desired softness.
5. Once quinoa has absorbed all of the water, stir in sautéed veggie mixture.  You may have to transfer to a larger pot or possibly add the quinoa to the sauteed veggies.

I was inspired to make this dish after enjoying Quinoa Paella at Cafe Sunflower.  It is delicious!  I have not been able to replicate their yummy goodness perfectly, but I do think I've captured it's spirit.  I have made this recipe in various iterations:

• with curry or without curry
• with different veggies (regular cabbage, broccoli, bok choy, bell pepper, kale, potabellos)

...and it has never disappointed.  Experiment with your favorite vegetables and see what happens.  Regardless, it's a filling and healthy side dish.

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!  :-)