For the first time in almost a year, we took Peanut out to lunch. I am not sure exactly which experience prompted the “we are never going out to eat with the baby again” mantra in our house. The diagnosis of his food allergy or the fun time at Tandori Nights when he managed to climb out of his high chair and onto the table while we were eating. 

I am, obviously, proud to report that it was a success.  A giant bowl of strawberries, a sippy of water and juice, a cell-phone and sitting next to Daddy did the trick. We even received a compliment for such a well behaved 18 month old. If she only knew.

Eating breakfast, especially cereal, when ttc and when pregnant makes little boys while eating no breakfast and less calories in general makes little girls. Or so a new study has concluded.  

So, did my almost 70 pound weight gain from eating almost exclusively breakfast foods make my Peanut a Peanut and not a Peanuette? Or did all of those pancakes, omeletes, french toast and Cheerios just contribute to his egg and peanut allergy?

Since we are hoping for a girl next time, my new lower-calorie diet has eliminated all cereal.   The first time I planned the horoscope of my baby to-be and next time I will try to influence the gender as well.  My control issues are, perhaps, getting a bit out of control.

But, the 3rd, that one, I am throwing caution to the wind.  No trying to  plan control horoscope signs, gender, food allergies and all the rest. Whatever will be, will be.  My husband says not to worry, there will never be a 3rd. But, I say, you can’t control everything.

A little piece of toddler heaven

I love my play group. We have met almost every Tuesday for the past 15 months.   A few of the moms have become my closest friends.  And Peanut has started to learn to play nicely with the other kids and not take their toys.  That last statement was a lie.  Any day now…

Besides just making our weeks more fun, apparently, play groups have given Peanut another benefit.  This article from MSNBC explains a recent study showing that day-care or playgroups may help protect children against leukemia.  Kids who attended playgroups or day-care before age 2 had the highest rates of protection against the disease.  The article states that children who attended day-care or playgroups had as much as a 30% decreased risk of contracting leukemia.

Check out our section on local Mom’s groups and get out and have fun. 

I started out with such promise. Like a rising star.  I survived eight days without sugar.  Eight days skipping all of my beloved desserts- even overlooking an enormous dessert tray brought to the Luna Mom’s playgroup after Stroller Strides (why do so many moms equate play with dessert?)

I felt strong.  I was in control.  I was on top of the world.
I came crashing down Saturday night while out to dinner with some friends from high school.  The sorbet trio seemed innocuous enough.  Almost healthy, really. 
But, that seemingly innocent sorbet trio led to defeat.
The following day I bought a batch of Skinny Cow flying saucers, a delightful mix of chemicals and sugar. By Wednesday, I had to buy another batch. By Friday I was purchasing chocolate chip cookies from Whole Foods, “for my husband”. 

A few days later when I returned from Trader Joe’s with chocolate covered pretzels and 2 boxes of chocolates (100 calorie bars, why not get 2?), my husband pointed out, “man, when you fall, you fall hard.” 

So, it is over. The great no sugar experiment.  Apparently 8 days is my limit.  And, clearly moderation is not for me.  I have been snacking like I am trying to bulk up to play the part of “fat friend” in a movie.
I am going to try it again. Maybe tomorrow. Or, maybe next week. After those 100 calorie bars are no longer with us. 

I have decided that sugar is the root of all evil.  I am giving it up (again).  Yes, I have attempted this feat before.  The longest I have made it was a year.  I felt better.  I looked better. The thing with sugar, I just know it is not good for me.  Anything I crave with such  intensity, with such fervor can not be a good thing.  I am not one those (crazy) people who can have just one bite of dessert.  I need the whole cake, the whole box of cookies, the entire chocolate bar.  

Our New Years Resolutions have hung on the fridge for months now.  For Peanut: 1. No more formula    2. Be a good boy during Stroller Strides. He had his last bottle of Nutramagen in January. He is 1 for 2.      For Mom: 1. No more sugar 2. More patience. I am 0 for 2. I have high hopes for this spring, though.  Starting tomorrow, no more sugar for me.  No cake.   No cookies.   No candy for me.  I gave up nutra-sweet and all the rest of the artificial crap months ago, so thiswon’t be easy.  If I am feeling brave, I will post my progress each week.  If my husband is feeling brave, he won’t move out of the house.

We went to this park yesterday for the first time. What an incredible park! The minute he was set free from his car seat, Peanut ran to the playground. There was so much to do. Slides, mazes, structures to play on such as a fire engine, a bus, cars and in a few weeks the carousel opens! We will be first in line.

The playground is set up so that kids of all abilities can have fun. It is accesible for all children including those in wheel chairs, or braces or have sensory or developmental disabilties.

6317 Georgetown Pike McLean, VA 22101

(703) 388-2807

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/clemyjontri/

At home, Peanut is a genius.  He tries to imitate everything we do.  He is a problem solver and figures out how to get or do what he wants when he wants.  He rarely never gives up. 

O.k., it is true that his vocabulary is rather limited.  I am “Da” rather than Mama, all animals are “woof-woof’s”,  and he still has not cracked the complexities of yes and no.  But, we applaud all of his achievements as if he had just won the Noble Prize.

When we were visiting Peanut’s grandparents, he ran around the house chasing the “woof-woof” (cat) for hours chanting, “woof-woof”.  One morning, Peanut saw Grandpa play with the cat with a piece of string.  Later that day, when Peanut finally caught the “woof-woof”, he knew just what to do.  He picked up the string and dangled it in front of the cat to play with him just like Grandpa had done. We could not get over how astute this was for a 16 month old.  He saw what Grandpa had done to play with the cat and copied his actions hours later.  I would be lying if I did not admit that the word Harvard was thrown around.  More than once.

The following week we were at our friend’s house where their 17 month old daughter sounded out most of the letters of the alphabet on command.  She could tell me what an A sounds like, what a B sounds like, etc.  Suddenly dangling a piece of string in front of a cat while calling him a “woof-woof” didn’t seem all that impressive.  The imaginary ivy league applications were put on hold.

All confidence in my son’s intellect was restored later that evening at home when my husband called out that Peanut had managed to put the bedroom television on himself.  This is no small feat. The installer did not set up a universal remote for this t.v., and, in order to turn it on it is necessary to push the right buttons in the right order on the right clickers facing the right direction with the stars alligned just so.   As I ran in and saw that he had indeed successfully turned on MSNBC, any lingering doubts of Peanut’s intellect were put to rest.  My husband and I looked at each other and whispered at the same time, “brilliant.”

It is that time of the year to stock up on books, books and more books.

You will find books on cd, children’s books, cookbooks, videos and much more at ridiculously low prices.

Friends of the library ($15.00 at the door) may shop Thursday, April 10th from 5:30-9 pm.  The doors will be open to the public Friday and Saturday, April 11th and 12th, from 10-6, and Sunday from 12-6 when everything left will be half off at the Arlington Central Library underground parking garage.

For more information on becoming a friend of the Arlington library see, http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/Libraries/LibrariesSupporttheLibrary.aspx