Sick days are no fun

Yesterday we picked up S from pre-school with a fever and a tummy ache. Not realizing how bad she was actually feeling, we drove to the Farm Market. Once we got there, she pretty much expressed that she was really not up for anything, and started sobbing. C started figuring out what caused her problem, she said she are "little thingies", which per K were cherries. But there is no connection between food allergy and fever, so i think its unrelated, and possibly a stomach flu. After fever reducing medicine, she felt better and after peppermint tea with honey, she went to sleep.

Under stress, C worked on his resume and i completely cleaned out our coffee maker. And, of course, found a way to disappoint each other, which happens often under stress. Looks like we still have some work to do in the area of tolerance and understanding toward each other.

And, just a day ago she was full of energy, telling us about a little dinosaur that sat on her back, that was pink and purple (her favorite colors), had wings, but couldn't fly, just jump, she was a girl, and had little teeth, so she couldn't bite anyone.

What is parenting

I am experiencing happiness like I’ve never even imagined possible, and it is of a completely different variety. Life is no longer an aimless wandering in search for joy, it is no longer a string of colorful moments held together by memory, but a volcano of life energy that bursts and lights everything around. Even the most seemingly meaningless little things are now fulfilling, because of my daughter. I found that parenting is the ultimate process of self-realization. But this cannot be understood theoretically, it can only be experienced while tuning in, while remaining thoughtful and conscious through every step in the process of the development of a brand new human being, the one that is formed by the cooperation of Nature and I.

It is the process not unlike a mountain climb. First you walk through the woods, and the path is not clear, and you can't even see the summit ahead, and it feels emotionally exhausting and confusing, and your back is not accustomed to the pack yet, but your legs are fresh and you are hopeful about the future. Then trees being to clear and the summit shines way up high. You don't exactly know what it would take to get there, but you are starting to form a plan in your head, based on the materials available, the conditions, and what you see in front of you. And then, you start to ascend. Some sections are just slow and steady rises that take perseverance and patience, some are fun and challenging rocks that take ingenuity and strength. Sometimes you have to adjust to the circumstances, at a moment's notice, taking your own experienced and the experiences of the ones that came before you into consideration. Some sections you walk slow and steady, eyes fixed on the ground one step ahead. Sometimes you look around and take in the breathtaking views and realize that there is nothing on Earth that you would rather do right now. Sometimes you make mistakes, you backtrack and try again. But always, the summit is ahead, and deeply in your heart.

Previously documented moments

Time is zooming by, with the speed of...hmmm...time. Time is the only thing you can not catch, except with the camera. And, at the end of 2011 there were so many beautiful moments that we caught on camera, but because of all the hectic mess of the holidays and our parents visit i never organized for future memories.


I made an improvisation inspired by Rachel Ray's recipe and it turned out to be fun:

Chipotle Cashew Chicken

• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 Tbsp Montreal Steak Seasoning blend by McCormick
• 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 4 gloves garlic, chopped
• 1 small red or orange bell pepper thinly sliced
• 1/2 onion thinly sliced
• 1 leek thinly sliced (just the light part)
• 1/2 small jicama, sliced - about 1/2 cup
• 3/4 cup edamame without shell, defrosted
• 4 teasp adobo sauce from "chipoltes in adobe"
• 1 teasp ground smoked  cumin
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 2  tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley
• 1/2 cup raw cashews

Here is how:
In iron pan with 2 Tbsp oil, on high heat, i brown the chicken sprinkled with grill seasoning. Add soy sauce, mix and move off the pan.
On medium heat cook leaks, onions, garlic and peppers, adding in that order. Cook 5 min total.
Add jicama and edamame, mix and cook 1 more minute.
Add back chicken, add the adobe and cumin and toss to coat.
Glaze the mixture with honey and maple syrup and turn off the heat.
Add in the cashew nuts and mix.
Before serving add chopped cilantro or parsley.


For New Years eve, we rode our bikes through Alameda's bay, people watching, talking, singing songs, drinking champagne. Before the nigh was over, we shared a mango and saw this fun window display:

For X-mas S got ice cream paydough set, which she loved. On the box there were some pretty pictures that could be made using the tools of the kit. S asked me to make this one, and i did:

For Hanukkah we went to Universal City Walk to watch lighting of the menorah:

On a random Monday, C and i took a day off and went to Disney:

With C's parents in town, and before X-Mas, i was lucky enough to book us a cottage at Crystal Cov
e. It was a wonderful weekend, with beautiful weather, a ton of food that we grilled on a brand new gas grill we purchased, and there was a X-mas tree on the beach: what could be more California than that?

The view from our patio:

In Feb we went to Lilia Downs concert:

And bought crazy shoes:

For valentines day i followed our tradition and made a fruit tart:

And, on the day when we bought S's furniture, we stopped at our local wine store and got the recommended wine that was cheap and yummy:

The last report card of the kid, from fall season:

Revisiting our wedding spot, with sunflower seeds and bloody mary, in November. Sitting on the top of the hill, talking about something silly, having a moment to ourselves - love and peace and C+J:

my funny cats

Although having a family now automatically disqualifies me from the title of the Crazy Cat Lady, i still consider them to be my babies. To me everything they do is pretty much cute. Well, perhaps for the exception of Kuzya screaming in the morning for his wet food.
But here are some cat cuteness to remember:

Cats recently got fleas, no one knows how, considering the fact that they are inside cats:

This picture i would name "change of Guard". Xenka one day was exchanged for Oreo the next day.

And, a more recent capture, cats paying hide an seek? Or Kuzya just being annoying?

life is a party

We have been doing our best to celebrate everything: from our family memorable days to Jewish holidays, to back-in-the-'ol-country special days, to American standards. We talk about the occasion and try to do something a little special - a dessert or a sparkling juice at dinner, and mainly just wishes of "happy whatever" repeated throughout the day. Sometimes there are corresponding events in preschool that reinforce the festive mood, sometimes its Jewish festivities on our local streets. So, yesterday as we were driving home from school, S asked: what are we celebrating today? I asked her if she wanted to celebrate, she said "yes". As there was no special holiday, i told her that we were celebrating LIFE.

Purim & International Women's Day

dinner time wovs

Some days are just easier than others. From one wise therapist i have learned to appreciate those days and, like a squirrel with a yummy nut, store those memories away for the "winter time" of thunder tantrums and whimpering sobs, in order to get through them without loosing my mind and temper. Based on my empirical evidence i knew that the hard times were coming: S operates on a 2 month mood cycle. But March is here and its not all bad. I find myself being more calm, more patient and more understanding about her difficulties. I think i am consuming some of the stored morsels of joy and appreciation. But i am also storing some away as well: almost every day S finds a moment to tell me that she loves me. It is gratifying to have her in the kitchen with me, helping to cook, listening to instructions, and tasting spices. It is gratifying to hear her speak with confidence some of the little things that she learned from me: about vitamins, about exercise, about helping others to be nicer.
She is learning the rules of life, and the progress is easily visible at this age.
She no longer needs help brushing teeth and no longer throws a cow about it. She no longer cries to be picked up and carried in the morning. She even got dressed all by herself last Friday, including the undershirt and a dress. The issue of the day right now is her setting the table, which we now insist on. Last week it started:
day 1: refusal, timeout, whiny and slow compliance
next day we ate out
day 2: refusal, timeout, failed chance, another timeout, we set the table and ate
day 3: refusal, timeout, whiny daddy-assisted compliance
day 4: compliance
then the weekend with meals away from home, and then on monday:
day 5: refusal, timeout (angry shouting against daddy), then she came out ok and set the table

So, it looks like may be the next time we can get it without the initial time out. 5 days to set the pattern? may be, we will track this further

building memories

Every day is an opportunity to build memories. These memories will sustain us when we are old and will make our life colorful and eventful, and, therefore, will have the prolonging effect.
I think that our family is very good at building memories, but perhaps not so great at recording them. I am trying to fix that every time i sit down to recollect and to write. Sometimes i am apprehensive because some recent memories may not connect into a story, and may not lend themselves to be put together in a coherent post. Right now i am deciding to try to jot down everything that i would like to recall later, in whatever form it happens to spill on the paper.

So, here it goes:
This was a week after President's day. After the shower, an off-white head towel was placed on S's head, for drying purposes. She looked in the mirror and said: "look, i am George Washington". Hahahahahaha! Yeap, sure enough that towel does look like an old off-white wig!

Feb 29 was the leap day of the leap year. C came home, and said "Happy leap day - this will not happen in the next 4 years". My heart was filled with joy -- when we are celebrating everything, we are celebrating LIFE itself!

And, another one, from a while back: S shared her knowledge with us, fall 2011: "boys have penis" .
And, March 3, we were talking about something, with Sari in the room. The word "testicle" was said, and prompted S to share: "i have a little penis there inside". Wow... no comment to that one. Mind you, when i was little i thought (and hoped) that mine would eventually grow...