Ronson's Radiohead Remix

I've been enjoying this Mark Ronson (producer for Amy Winehouse, etc.) version of Radiohead's "Just" for a while now. But this new video for the song extends Ronson's referencing/reimagining of the track in the visuals. It's hilarious. Check out the Ronson version and the original Radiohead video underneath.

The Enema Within

Probably the grossest article I have ever read. If anything has made me want to go veg, this article is it. It discusses the adventures of a man who goes to Thailand to do a colon clean. Definately not for the faint of heart, however, for those who like to watch your blood being drawn or other gross things about your body, this is an article to check out.

Stella is Crawling

This is a huge step. Last week Stella was crawling like a knight on a chess board. This week we get the limp spider crawl but she moves like the queen. Enjoy!

Elna Baker

Seth knew Elna in New York. When I went to New York to claim Seth as my won prize, I was greeted with legions of crusties from the single New York Mormon women. Elna was not one of these, she was warm and friendly and bubbly. It makes me happy that she seems to be successful now. I heard her today on This American Life: Matchmakers.
"Elna Baker reads her story about the time she worked at the giant toy store, FAO Schwartz. Her job was to sell these lifelike “newborns” which were displayed in a “nursery” inside the store. When the toys become the hot new present, they begin to fly off the shelves. When the white babies sell out, white parents are faced with a choice: will they go for an Asian, Latino, or African-American baby instead? What happens is so disturbing that Elna has a hard time even telling it."

You can also see her here, different story but anyone can appreciate this:

Prisoner or Guard

As I type this I am being careful that I don't let the keys click too loudly. I make sure all the phones ringers are off, and when visiting the bathroom there is always a moral dilemma whether I should flush. The problem? Stella has finally started to sleep for two hours or more a day, on one condition...silence. I fill her room with massage like white noise, ocean waves flow as she rests, but it isn't enough.

Our apartment was built around WWII era and has wood floors. Every step makes a crack. I have to decide whether to punish myself to the bedroom, which has reliable computer access or living room/kitchen area. Once I am committed I have to stay the entire nap. When I have violated these rules she wakes up and I have a crabby baby on my hands.

I dream of a day when I live in a carpeted quiet floored home where my children can nap, I can vacuum, and we can all live together. Until that day does anyone have a suggestion?

Cake, Civil Rights, and Celebrating

Seth was born the day after Christmas. Sadly a much more important birthday usually trumps him every year. He just cannot compete. His parents valiantly have tried to honor his birthday but everyone still has Christmas buzz. This year Seth turned 30. So one month later I gave him a proper birthday party. I made him this cake, which was consumed (more on that later). We had our friends and neighbors and friendly neighbors over. A lot of them brought their babies over and it was a parade of Guitar Hero, babies on the floor, toddlers and young kids running around and folks chatting. We had a great time and still wonder how we fit them all in our apartment, but we loved that we did. The cake was my favorite part. I have tried to make this cake three times. Each time I have failed. Today I finally mastered it so I am going to publish my secret recipe (I believe recipes should be shared so all can enjoy deliciousness).

Sunny Chocolate Deliciousness
(3) squares unsweetened baking chocolate
(1) 8 oz. can Beets
1 stick butter
2.5 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk

Beat butter with sugar,eggs, and vanilla. Beat for five minutes. While beating this mixture take can of beets and puree in blender with all of the juice in the can. Melt unsweetened chololate in microwave (put in for about 1.5 minutes). Put chocolate in batter with cream. Mix dry ingredients together in separate bowl (flour, soda, salt). Add to cream mixture. Add buttermilk.Put pureed beats in batter and mix until golden. Bake at 350 for 30-40 in 2 nine inch pans or 60 minutes in larger pan. Make sure you coat the pan with some kind of non-stick goop so it can be frosted later.

Most Delicious Frosting
This is what makes the cake crazy awesome. It took me three tries to get this part right.
2 c. whipping cream
1 lb. chocolate (semi-sweet is preferred but it was also delicious with milk chocolate, dark could be good too)

Cut up chocolate in small pieces (I used chocolate chips so no cutting was necessary). Bring whipping cream to almost boil. Gradually put chocolate in whipping cream. Once it is all melted put hot pot in bowl of ice. Whip the frosting with pot on ice bowl forever. (this took about 20 minutes to get it right). Eventually the cold will make the icing really thick. Should be consistency of store bought icing. MOST DELICIOUS CAKE EVER!

Is there any Cinema Verite?

Stella has gone from anticipating the flash like such.

To anticipating the flash and actions as such.

Good Bye Holidays

I am really sad the holidays are over for one reason mainly: the end of the Sierra Mist Cranberry. We bought out the last of the Rite Aid's selection. For those who have not tasted this beverage, it is the most delicious drink ever. A tinge of lime and a shot of cranberry. Delicious. Sadly it is only for the holidays.

Preying

I decided today I need to write down and blog about funny stories that have already happened in addition to the awesome stories of today.

I was telling some friends about my mother's fascination with creatures. I think she somehow has decided that she is a Doctor Doolittle of the animal and insect world. Every year since I was born without fail my mom would find some butterfly egg on milkweed or a citrus tree. She would bring it in and give the caterpillars food. Then it would get to be time that they were going to go into the pupa stage. This is where my mom differed from the rest (if any at all would bring in insects into the home). Most sane people would let the pupa-ing insect outside to do its insect puberty phase, no not so in my childhood home. My mom would let the darn things crawl up the wall and make a cocoon (technically a chrysalis) right above the breakfast bar we ate at. We would be eating Cheerios and look up, WHAM, a cocoon. It was pretty weird. The worst was when the darn things hatched we would usually end up damaging the wings and hurting it anyhow. Nature lover perhaps but not quite a nature preserver.

The best story from this serious of insect cycle comes from when I left the house. It was a few years ago, I was married. I get a call from my mom. Apparently she had caught a preying mantis and thought it was neat. She put it in a jar without a lid and was looking at it. She left it in the jar. That night because that little bug hatched 50 small preying mantii. When they got up in the morning there were baby preying manti all over the kitchen.

Stella had a huge success, she ate all of her cereal today. I don't want to get in a cycle of fighting with her over eating. It is nice that she voluntarily opens her mouth.

Advice from the Cat Lady

VS.

Today we went to Trader Joe's for our weekly supply of groceries. Trader Joe's is a lot like Costco. It has 90% of everything you need but it still sometimes warrants an additional trip. Things like diapers, baby food, toilet paper, laundry detergent: TJs just doesn't cut it. Today we went at the ghastly hour of 2:30. It was a zoo. We were in the check out line for a while. Of course while I am there I start to remember things to look for. So do other customers. A woman in front of me asks if she can look for something. I don't see why not, none of us are going anywhere soon.

She gets back and then starts asking me about my baby. It starts out normal enough but it soon gets weird. Here is a summarized script:

CL: How old is your little baby?

Me: Seven months old.

CL: Is she breast fed exclusively?

Me: (Although invasive, I proceed) Yes, she only eats breast milk, she is having a hard time eating solids. She hates being forced foods.

CL: Don't you think it is weird to breast feed a seven month old?

Me: The doctors recommend a year if you can do it.

CL: Well, I have some advice for getting her to take solids. Make some mushy cereal and give it to her.

(You need to know I have done this since Stella was four months, this advice is not helpful)

Me: Yeah, we have done that, she just doesn't like things in her mouth unless she puts them there.

CL: Well I raise 8 kittens at a time and they always eat their cereal. Do you want a cat?

Me: No thank you.

CL: Do you stay home or do you work?

Me: I stay home and sometimes work from home.

CL: That is so weird, back in my day we burned our bras and would have never done that.

Me: I guess times have changed (hoping she goes to register so we can get out of this conversation).

This is the third conversation I have had with strangers comparing their pets to my daughter. This one went a bit far trying to get kitten solid eating techniques to my baby. What is up with these weird pet people. Come on?!?!

I Heart Nordstroms

Seriously, I love Nordstroms, this is why.

Seven months ago my mother gave me an awesome Petunia Pickle Bottom bag. This bag has been through it all, it really has saved me by being big enough but not too big, and I find it cute. I have other diaper bags which I use frequently as well but this is more my purse/diaper bag.

The other day it died. The zipper broke. These bags are not cheap, I looked up replacements and they are around $160 (thank you mamma). I went to Nordstrom (where the original was not purchased but they do carry them). They tried to fix my bag, when that was a no go they offered to replace my bag and even gave me $2 for the tax differences between Virginia and Utah. Nordstroms is the only store I have ever been to that doesn't try to hide behind administrative hub-bub.

And for those who are looking at diaper bags. Nordstrom has some really awesome Petunia Pickle Bottoms bags.

Raspberries

I found some video of Stella doing her raspberries. Enjoy!

BLAH BLAH

Stella has been talking up a storm lately. I will try to shoot some rasberries if I can get them. Here is video of her rolling around thinking she is awesome with her feet.

Two Front Teeth for Christmas

For those few who read this blog, rest assured we are back. We had a fabulous time in Utah. I went up a few days early to give my parents the Stella time. This had a few effects. Stella was spoiled and I reached a point where I remembered why we move out of our parents house. It was great to see them though.

Stella went into December a lamb of wandering and has left December a lion on the prowl. She is into EVERYTHING. And now she has a way to get there. She army crawls, scoots, rolls, falls, anything to reach desired object. Once object is reached she puts it in the mouth. She then repeats steps one and two until everything has been tasted and chewed.

When we came back I realized that we had some problems when she tried to go from sitting to crawling position and bonked her head. Seth and I invested in a second carpet and carpet mats to keep her little head from any more bumps.


Yup, Seth has a handle bar moustache here. If you are going to shave a stach make it fabulous.

This is Stella's cousin Louis, my brother Mike, and my sister-in-law Lindsay. Stella is one month older than Louis. It was fun to see how the babies can be so different in temperament and personality. Louis is darling.

Why you may ask did I include this picture? Because my child has figured out that a)I am taking a picture so she needs to smile and b)a flash will blind her...so she anticipates it and now shuts her eyes in a lot of the pictures.