in three quarters time

Before my due date, I remember there being a lot of discussion from "seasoned moms" about the best baby gifts that they received. Some said that the casseroles they received were life savers; others thought that nothing could be better than a month's subscription to a cleaning service. But, to me, the best gift that anyone mentioned was the one that my sister-in-law A got from her sister L.

I remember A telling me how when my niece was born her sister would get up each morning when Lil M awoke and take her downstairs so that A could get a few more hours of rest after a restless night. I remember thinking how thoughtful it was of L and how grateful A must have been for the additional rest. And, since Baby Beeton's birth, I often think about that story, how wonderful it must have been to drift back to sleep, knowing full well that you needn't worry because someone you loved and trusted was with your baby.

Around here, it's been me, Mr. Beeton, Ella, and Baby Beeton most of the time. We don't have lots of friends and family stopping by to visit or help out. And, we haven't found a babysitter that we trust. While I love our little family, sometimes it would be nice to have a bit of a break - to have a glass of wine at Cedar Crossing with my husband, to paint the basement without having to first mastermind a safe space down there for Baby Beeton to hang out while we work, to nap without worrying that we're letting each other down.

We got that little break over Christmas when we stayed at my parents' house in Pennsylvania. Nana, Pops, and Auntie M were all on hand to play with Baby Beeton, to keep him entertained, to hold him while I tried on some desperately needed new clothes, to watch him while we went out to eat. While we didn't sleep well, I napped and felt more relaxed than I have in months. Having that kind of love and support not just over the phone but in person was wonderful. I didn't realize how much I needed it until I had it.

So, while we've gotten some great presents and eaten some fabulous holiday food, what I'll remember most about this Christmas is that time we spent in Pennsylvania, feeling like it wasn't just us against the world, feeling like we had a little extra wind at our back.

To me, that was the greatest gift of all.

Happy New Year!

Martha

delish

The other day I tuned into Rachel Ray's talk show. I'm not a huge Rachel Ray fan in the least. But, Jessica and Ashlee Simpson were on, and I have to admit that I've always had a soft spot for those sisters. (Sidenote: My obsession with Jessica used to run very deep. Mr. Beeton and I went to the Barton Creek Resort and Spa to celebrate our dating anniversary when we lived in Austin, Texas one summer simply because Nick and Jessica held their reception there.) While watching, I realized that Rachel's set, which you can see here, has some eerily similar qualities to our own redesigned kitchen - the yellow walls, the chalkboard painted pantry doors. We'd based our color scheme on a photograph we'd seen in a magazine, but here was the actualization of our dream in a different form - complete with the glass front cabinets and the black and white tile floors that we hope to eventually have. Of course, Rachel has a super retro fridge, which we had thought about (we're now leaning toward a commercial fridge for space and aesthetic reasons), and her set is twice the size of our little galley. But, I thought the similarities were uncanny.

Our Julia Child inspired peg board.

Our new yellow cabinets, white walls, and patterned curtains.

Our chalkboard pantry doors.

Keep sweeping, Martha

perchance to dream

Can you believe my baby turned six months old this past month? A half a year?! So unbelievable. In some ways, the months have flown by. In other ways, they've passed by so slow. They really have been "the longest shortest time."

We've hit a lot of milestones of late. The babble has started to become recognizable - at least to me. Do you hear "Ma-ma-ma" when you listen?



We've also started solid foods with much greater success after a failed attempt with oatmeal. Rice cereal, bananas, apples, and sweet potatoes. Dr. B instructed us - at our six month appointment - that we need to start "more aggressively pursuing solids," so after another veggie, we will try chicken! Such a big boy.



November was also filled with celebrations - Baby Beeton's baptism and his first Thanksgiving. We had almost 20 relatives attend the baptism, including Henry's three fabulous cousins - Baby B, Baby L, and Lil' M. For lunch, we had everyone back to the house for soup from Souper Girl and Subway sandwiches. The grandmas made delicious salads, and Grammy ordered cupcakes with little decorations to commemorate the day. Thanksgiving was spent in Virginia where Baby Beeton got his own very special place setting. Too bad we hadn't started sweet potatoes by then!

The big crowd at our house meant that we finally finished the kitchen (save the floor). It looks wonderful, and I wish we had done it sooner. Everything is so fresh and clean. And, we even have a peg board like Julia's. And a wonderful by product of the kitchen being finished is that we cleared out all the kitchen stuff from the dining room. This means that we can eat at our dining room table, and we have a huge area for Baby Beeton to play in. I'm starting to really love my house.



We've been getting out a bit more too. Pancakes with Santa, a visit to the zoo, and lunch at Burger Tap Shake at Foggy Bottom. It's been a good month... except for...

SLEEP!

Baby Beeton - for the last few weeks of November - had been having a terrible struggle with sleep, waking up every hour, taking hours to get back to sleep, and being a general grouchy man. At the time, this lack of sleep eclipsed all the good things that had been happening in our life. Each day, we discussed various sleep strategies; we read tons of sleep books; we cried over the fact that it looked like we would have to let him cry it out. We were miserable.

But, it got better.

I only write this now because I want to acknowledge this dark time, know that we got through it, and record the strategies that helped (The No Cry Sleep Solution, Dr. B's advice to "let him cry a little... don't be cruel, but don't run to him every time he whimpers," a sweet little blankie that feels a little bit like Momma's robe).

We're not out of the woods yet, but for now, it's peaceful and quiet. A good time to rest.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading The No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley.

happy monday

Look for a more comprehensive post about life in the Beeton household soon. But, for now, I'll show you this slightly blurry picture (Baby Beeton is always on the move!).


A crafty friend of ours made this onesie for Baby Beeton - complete with a little broom. Love it!

Keep sweeping, Martha

Watched The Change Up and half of Our Idiot Brother.

'tis a gift

In the spirit of Naomi Davis over at The Rockstar Diaries, I thought I'd post a little Thankgiving list as well.

I'm thankful for...

• Predictability
• Happy memories
  
• Sunshine
• Mr. Beeton's Kindle
• Reality television
  
• The National Zoo
  
• Girls' morning out at Dunkin Donuts with Ruby
• Footie pajammies
• Friends (especially the ones in Paris!)
• The Amazon wishlist application
• Old Town Takoma
• Flannel sheets
• Hot chocolate and grilled cheese
  
• She and Him: Volume 1
  
• Family walks
  
• Black Friday Thanksgiving dinner
• My big family
• My little family

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, everyone!

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading Blood, Bones, Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton.

a nine dollar bottle of wine

I get on these kicks sometimes, obsessing over a television series. Then, it's these series that become the way for me to chronicle major periods of my life. That summer alone in Newark with no friends and a roommate overseas was a terrible reality show about the Hamptons. The time that Mr. Beeton lived in Austin for a few years was Alias. Our honeymoon - Heroes. The Killing was the last few weeks of my pregnancy. And, with the birth of Baby Beeton came the debut of the series Up All Night.

As a new parent, I see a lot of comedic potential around every turn (except, of course, in those moments that are pure tragedy). And, I thought that this new series - especially since its star, Christina Applegate, is a new mother herself - could really hit it out of the park. But, I'm not sure it does. There's an interesting article here that kind of sums up my feelings. I like it, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't do for "parenting" what Modern Family does for "family."

Still, there are moments... mostly from the "Birth" episode where an unknowing Reagan goes in for the miracle that is natural childbirth and ends up having a C-section. Now that's something I can relate to...

Keep sweeping, Martha

Watched Little Children.

the hope is

I didn't wake up tired this morning. Instead, I fed Baby Beeton while I was fully awake, and the two of us slipped out of the room when we were finished - Ella at our heels - to let Mr. Beeton get a few more hours of rest. We played downstairs, practiced sitting up. I was able to eat breakfast, get laundry put away, and straighten up the living room. When Mr. Beeton woke up, he watched Baby Beeton for a while so that I could get some work done on my editing project. Baby Beeton took a long morning nap. Then, we all went for a family walk, which was followed by another nap. More playtime, dinner, and bath. And, now, the Baby is swaddled, fast asleep.

Today was a good day.



Keep sweeping, Martha

Watched Bad Teacher.

up from under

I'm not going to pretend that this has been an easy year for my marriage. In fact, I feel as though these last five months have really embodied the sentiment "for better or for worse." With the arrival of Baby Beeton, his smiles and giggles, has come a whole lot of better. But, the stress of having a newborn, the postpartum surge of emotions, the bone aching tiredness, also comes with a whole lot of worse.

I remember in graduate school being introduced to an article by Alix Kates Shulman called "A Marriage Agreement." The essay, which was originally published in the feminist magazine Up From Under in 1970, discussed a more egalitarian approach to the division of domestic labor in marriage. As a young, graduate student forging my own sense of a feminist self, I was taken by the proposal, vowing that - when married - I would not only keep my name but also look for someone who was truly willing to be my partner, not just my husband.

Mr. Beeton and I are lucky. We have the privilege of having - while not the highest paying jobs in the world - certainly some with the most flexible hours. We knew this when we talked about starting a family. And we discussed all the ways in which our academic lives were well suited to raising a little one. We knew, if Baby Beeton was born in the summer, that not only would I be able take advantage of our University's generous family leave policy and forgo teaching responsibilities in the fall but I would also have my spring sabbatical as a buffer to becoming a full-fledged working mom. Since Mr. Beeton is a graduate student, his schedule is flexible as well. We knew he would have intense periods of field work and grading in the fall, but we also knew that during his "down time" he would be able to take over the Baby Beeton responsibilities so that I could work on my two book projects - an editing project on technology in the Women's Studies classroom and a scholarly analysis of food memoirs. We would be the living embodiment of "A Marriage Agreement."

But the problem with ideals is that they are often difficult to actualize. I naively never realized just how demanding being a parent would be, and Mr. Beeton never realized just how fiercely postpartum emotions might take hold of me. We were a mess, and we're still clawing our way out of it.

Now, however, in emerging out of the postpartum haze and thinking over our situation rationally, I think one of the most significant obstacles that we've had to overcome - and still struggle to overcome - rests with the depth to which gendered ideologies can run - no matter what kind of intentions you might have. Being able to equally parent is a blessing. I can't imagine how young mothers deal with a baby day in and day out without the physical and emotional daily support of their partner (I have a new found respect for my own mother and my empathy for Betty Draper is even stronger now). I can honestly say that I wouldn't be able to do it. But, at the same time, I find myself envying that clear cut division of labor. After all, if Don's in the city, Betty knows exactly who will tend to Sally, even if she doesn't always do it in the kindest way possible. When Mr. Beeton and I are both home, I still find myself rushing to soothe Baby Beeton because I feel as though I'm a failure as a mother if I don't. Too often, I don't accept help when it's offered because I feel guilty pushing off what I see as my responsibilities even though I know we're in this together. And, even more so, I fail to acknowledge the tremendous contribution that Mr. Beeton has made in equally parenting because I think, subconsciously, I can't. After all, isn't it the mother who is supposed to be raising the children? And, if she's not, then what does that say about her? Acknowledging my limitations makes me feel worthless. I know I shouldn't feel this way, but I do. Negotiating these new roles has been tough...

I'm hoping, as the days go by, that we get better at it and kinder toward each other. We've been given this great gift to raise our son together, and we should certainly appreciate that. And we should always be mindful of what we have done and continue to do for each other each and every day. I know I'd be lost on this journey without you, Mr. Beeton, and I also know that I couldn't imagine a better, kinder, stronger, more caring man than you to be a support system for me and a model of goodness for our son.

Happy Anniversary.



Keep sweeping, Martha

happy halloween

pumpkin pickin' in the city

diy

I had hoped that this post would begin differently. Mr. Beeton and I had been keeping our fingers crossed that a magnificent windfall was coming our way. But, alas, it didn't work out, so now we are back to square one.

You may have read some of my past posts about the challenges that we face in our galley-style kitchen. When we bought our house, my one major reservation was with the kitchen (no, not with the stained carpet in the basement, the paint splattered baseboards, or the marred hardwood floors). Four doors, literally no cabinet space, poor lighting. But, I watch enough HGTV to believe in possibilities, and I had seen enough renovated houses in this neighborhood to know that my dream kitchen was possible - even if it is tens of thousands of dollars out of our reach. I'd live with what I had until we could do more.

But it's been frustrating. Majorly frustrating. I feel like every time I cook in that room I end up shouting, "I hate this kitchen!" So, when A&E put out a casting call for a webisode of their program Fix This Kitchen, Mr. Beeton applied.

And, guess what? They wrote him back.

You see, to be chosen for the show, you not only have to have a terrible kitchen (check) but you also have to express an interest of food (check). Mr. Beeton thought my teaching, reading, writing about kitchen culture (as Sherrie Inness calls it) was enough to make us a perfect match. Apparently, his introductory email, which highlighted these connections, was compelling enough that they wanted to see pictures, which we promptly sent along with a narrative. And, then, those pictures were compelling enough that they wanted to see a video. It was supposed to be no less than five minutes long and no more than ten minutes long. They also wanted us to fill out a questionnaire and sign a million release forms, which made us really, really hopeful. This is what we came up with:



We thought our cooking show would put us over the top, and we had a few nail-biting days (especially because Mr. Beeton's email got all screwy with a University wide conversion!). But, we heard from them the other day, and we were not selected. We're both pretty bummed, but now we are rolling up our sleeves and getting to work on some of the easy cosmetic makeovers we had planned before we dared to dream. We'll keep you posted on how it works out.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Watched Horrible Bosses.

"a place where we ache to go again"

Lately, I've noticed that when Friday hits I forget that's it's actually Friday - the start of the weekend, a night to unwind. Our days around here have always been much less structured than other people's days (one of the luxuries of being in academia), but with Baby Beeton, they have taken on this eerily similar quality. One day runs into the next with feedings, playtime, naps, and nightly bedtime battles. Not much marks the difference between a Tuesday and a Wednesday.

Tonight, I decided we needed to do something, anything, to kick off the weekend, a small attempt to reclaim just a little bit of our old life. It's been heavily raining the last few days, but around 2:30 pm today, the clouds broke, and the sun was shining. The heavy humidity lifted as well, and it felt the way a day in October should feel. We packed up Baby Beeton and Ella and headed to Glen Echo Park - which began as a National Chautauqua Assembly in 1891 (read up on the Chautauqua movement - it's fascinating!) and served as an amusement park until 1968.

(Image from Vanished America)

Now, there are a host of little buildings devoted to various arts, a ballroom, a playground, and the old carousel. They have all sorts of good stuff - especially in the summer - like puppet shows and concerts, and today we saw a wedding with the reception all laid out in the old bumper car area.

(Image from http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinborland/sets/72157606522249902/)

We walked around for a while, gawked at the bride, and swung on the swings. We were even able to get dinner from the concession stand and eat it out on the picnic benches.

But, perhaps the best part of the whole day was in the parking lot when we pushed Baby Beeton really fast in the stroller and heard his first squeal of delight - genuine laughter! Of course, we made him do it over and over again. I'd say that that's a pretty good way to get the weekend started.


Keep sweeping (or swinging), Martha

100 days of...

Yesterday, at the Takoma Mamas group, one of the group members brought all these amazingly beautiful and yummy treats (I had this little puff ball thingy that melted in my mouth and exploded with the most delicious flavor) to celebrate her baby's 100 day birthday. In Korea, she explained, the 100 day celebration is incredibly important because it means that the baby has overcome some of the most difficult, early day obstacles and should be on the road to good health and happiness! On the day of the celebration, the family is to share with as many people as possible these special treats. The more people who eat; the more good fortune for the child.

It made me curious as to when Baby Beeton's 100 day celebration would be. Turns out it would have been on September 7th, if I calculated correctly, Grammy and Papa Beeton's wedding anniversary! What a coincidence. I have to say that can only mean good fortune.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading Little Children by Tom Perrotta (I do not recommend reading this book if you have just had a child or are in any way experiencing any kind of marital strife at the time of reading. Of course, it you don't have a degree in Women's Studies or a penchant for Patrick Wilson-types, you'll be fine.)

pamper me

So maybe it doesn't make sense to follow a blog post about the stress of parenting with a blog post about using cloth diapers. After all, what about cloth diapers are going to make your life easier? Weren't disposable diapers invented to make your life as a parent less of a burden?

Many people greeted our declaration to attempt using cloth diapers with skepticism. The nicer ones simply nodded but looked mildly concerned. Some more vocal parent friends indicated that there was no way we would ever be able to do it. Admittedly, we have faced parenting challenges that we never knew would exist. But, surprisingly, transitioning to cloth diapers, which we've done this past week, was not one of them. If anything, the whole system is a lot easier than we ever anticipated - especially with the help of our trusty friend the Internet.

We decided to use disposable when Baby Beeton was little because, on some level, those vocal parent friends were right. Adjusting to life with baby was hard enough without an added complication. But, this past week, we decided to switch over to cloth diapers because we're on (a little) firmer ground as parents and because Baby Beeton has grown in size and fits into the cloth diapers much better. It helped, too, that most of the moms in the mom group I started attending use cloth diapers, so we've got a built in support system of other parents who share such tips like which are the best diapers to buy (Blueberry) and which laundry detergents work without fail (Charlie's Soap).

My initial inspiration to use cloth diapers came from this post that I read on one of my favorite blogs Young House Love. Like us, these bloggers were initially motivated by money (a motivating factor for us when it came to breastfeeding as well); they are thrifty and love a bargain (also like us), so they did some calculations and realized that cloth diapering could save them in the long run. And, they seemed to find cloth diapering to be rather simple, so we thought, upon reading, what the heck. Let's try it.

We had put twelve cloth diapers from Bum Genius on our baby registry. We got six from friends and family at various showers, and after experimenting with those six, we decided we'd take the plunge and buy six more. We also bought a hanging diaper bag from FuzziBunz (in chocolate brown to match Baby Beeton's room... I never did post nursery pictures, did I? I'll add that to my ever-growing "To Do" list). This purchase was suggested by our friends from Savannah, K&D, have a little girl just a few months older than Baby Beeton; they are in our cloth diapering support group as well and found the bag to be super useful. It unzips at the bottom so you just throw it (and the diapers) in the laundry when you are ready to go. I've been relying on this site for information about washing, detergents to use, etc. It's been very helpful. So now, during the week, when we are home, we use the cloth diapers. We still use disposable at night and when we travel, but we've cut down considerably.

I have to admit that my impetus for cloth diapering is a vain one. They are just so darn cute - as you can see from this picture (I don't usually post in color, but how adorable is he in this one - color "Ribbit").


But, I've found that I like them for a lot of other reasons, too. They seem softer and more comfortable; they do help with the environment. And, since I like doing laundry, I don't find the whole cleaning thing onerous (the tips from the site listed above work really well... they have come out clean - i.e. not stained - each and every time so far). Of course, if I were back at work (did I mention I have until Fall 2012 off!!!), this would be a whole different story (in fact, a lot of things would be different... the little Prince would take a bottle, I'd be even more of a nervous wreck, the house would be even more messy), but for now, I have the time to indulge myself in a little over-the-top, stay-at-home mothering.

I got an email the other day with a link to this article and found that quite a few of the "things" really resonate with me. Of course, not the part about your dog being just a dog now that you have a baby. Never.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading Stranger Here Below by Joyce Hinnefeld.

simple kind of life

Holy cow. This parenting thing is hard.

When I was pregnant, I got a kick out of how all the doctors I saw insisted on bringing up repeatedly the fact that I was A.M.A. For those of you who are not in the know, that means "Advanced Maternal Age." I laughed when they said it. After all, though I may be 37 years old, I still feel like a 14 year old. But lately, I've been wondering if they were right to draw my attention to my A.M.A. Parenting certainly is exhausting. Teaching, researching, writing can in no way compare. Caring for Baby Beeton day in and day out is like an extended lesson on a really boring topic, like the proper use of the semi-colon - you've got to get psyched to face your audience, you've got to make it entertaining, and you've got to be energetic. When Baby Beeton hits the sack at 8 pm, I feel all of the energy drain out of my body... until he wakes up again for that 1 am feeding. Then, I've got to switch it on again.

Maybe I would have been better off starting this family a little earlier.

After Baby Beeton was born, I found myself thinking with nostalgia about when I first moved to D.C. I lived in a tiny studio apartment on Wisconsin Avenue. I taught only two classes a semester. And, most days, when I finished teaching class at 2:15 pm, I'd head home to walk Ella and take a snooze on my balcony. I was spoiled, even if I didn't know it at the time. In that actual moment, I remember being pretty miserable. I didn't have many friends; I struggled to make sense of my students who were so very different from the students at the University of Delaware. I felt like I was super busy and super stressed. I didn't know what busy and stressed really look like.

But this past week was a nice calm. It made me think that maybe - just maybe - this is what is in store for me. And, if so, I like it. Monday, Baby Beeton and I walked up to McDonald's for a coffee. We came home and napped together. On Wednesday, we went to the local new moms' group, and when we got home, Baby Beeton napped while I read. Thursday, I headed to Figs to have lunch by myself and really start working on this book I'm supposed to be writing. On Friday, Baby Beeton and I drove out to Leesburg to spent the day shopping with Grammy Beeton. And, on Saturday, we had our neighbors now friends over for dinner. I found myself - during this week - finding pockets of time where everything felt like my same old normal life, only quite a bit better. Like I said, if most weeks are going to be like this, I'll take it. I've got to remember these moments for what they really are.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan (definitely going on my top books of all time list).

a few good dips

This post is long overdue.

When we moved last spring, we received this really thoughtful housewarming gift from my college roommate of four years (!) and her family.

It consists of some terrific recipes, but the true beauty of it rests with what you can't see in this photograph. There is a pocket in the back that contains tiny slips of paper that list a bunch of terrific dips that we went to college with (I won't name names). The recipe book has been on my mind lately because I've been thinking a lot about my roommate and her family, because our fifteen-year reunion is on the horizon, and because Mr. Beeton and I have gone to two parties in the past week where we've had to bring something (and dip is what we brought... nevermind that we had to leave both parties early because it was Baby Beeton's bedtime and he let everyone know it). In my new mom frenzy, I fell back on a tried and true dip - taco dip. But, like my roommate who I always considered one of the most fearless people I've ever met (even if I didn't ever tell her), I should have been more daring and branched out. After all, I was promised I'd impress at least a couple of people.

Tried and True Taco Dip

• Mix half a container of cream cheese with half a container of sour cream.
• Add taco seasoning.
• Transfer to a flat casserole pan or other fancy dip dish.
• Top with salsa, grated cheese, shredded lettuce, and tiny tomatoes.

Keep sweeping, Martha

dear future martha

When we were visiting family in Chicago at the end of July, K's mom said, "Just wait until three months. Everything changes then." Today I was thinking I should write a note to my future self, detailing what's important to keep in mind when facing life with a newborn. The opening line would be, "Remember what K's mom said. She was so very right."

I can't believe how much things have changed in the last two weeks. When Baby Beeton first smiled, things began to get lighter, easier, and then, lately, things have really settled down. We've gotten into a groove with feeding. I no longer feel constantly stressed about the upcoming meal. He's much, much more active, wildly moving his arms and legs and grinning widely at everything Mr. Beeton, Ella, and I do. Being more active means he's sleeping more regularly. Usually (knock wood), he'll go to sleep between 7-9 pm, sleep until 1-2 am, eat, and then go back down until about 7 am (we're so lucky, I know). He's also started to nap more regularly (thanks to K's sister K's recommendation - Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child). Usually, a morning nap in the Snugabunny bouncer and an afternoon nap with Momma and Daddy or in his crib. I've never been one to crave a routine (I mean, just look at my profession), but with Baby Beeton, a routine has made all the difference in my sanity. I love it.

These are the things that I need to remind my future self of if and when my future self begins thinking about adding another one to our pack. Grins and naps... and all the items that have made my life a little bit easier these past few months. When we registered for our showers, we didn't know what the heck we were doing, but we made our best guesses. Some of our requests were hits; some misses. Here is a short list of my favorites...

1. Fisher Price Surround Sounds and Lights Monitor - Lots of people advised us that a video monitor was the only way to go, the only way that we would get peace of mind. But, we're frugal people, and we couldn't see spending that kind of money (or expecting someone else to spend that kind of money) on a baby monitor. This is the one that we ended up getting, and it's served us very well. We don't live in a mansion, so we probably could have done without a monitor. But having this on at night when Baby Beeton is upstairs makes me more relaxed.

2. Halo Sleepsack Swaddle - Mr. Beeton would disagree with me on this one. He thinks a good old fashioned blanket swaddle is best, but I had such trouble with that method that when a friend of mine from college gave us this velcro number as a gift I was over the moon. No more needing to wake up Mr. Beeton in the middle of the night and say, "Can you swaddle him?" (Baby Beeton, by the way, is addicted to swaddling. He can't get enough of it. I had to rush order a bigger one for him today since he seemed to grow out of his old one over night.)

3. The Rachel Bag by Timi and Leslie - I love, love, love this diaper bag precisely because it doesn't look like a diaper bag. But, it's got all these fabulous pockets and baby accessories that hide inside it. When I sling it over my shoulder, I hear Stacy London say, "What a cute mom-on-the-go!"

4. Anything that gets me out of the house (i.e. our stroller, our Ergo baby carrier, and/or our Baby Bjorn) - We have a variety of methods for getting out of the house, depending on Baby Beeton's mood. We scored our stroller, which is a Bugaboo Gecko, on Craigslist; a very tall woman (who lived in this amazing green building in Silver Spring) decided to sell it for half the price because she was frustrated that it didn't have an adjustable handle. We got the bassinet, the upright stroller, and the car seat converter from her for multiple means of travel. Our his and her baby carriers (Ergo for Mr. Beeton and Baby Bjorn for me) are for when we don't want to lug out the cumbersome stroller or when we want a guarantee that Baby Beeton will remain calm (he loves to be "babyworn" as much as he loves swaddling).

5. Anything Boppy - Originally, I had asked for the Boppy to help out with breastfeeding, but it doesn't really work for me in the way that I expected. Instead, I prop it behind me when I'm feeding Baby Beeton. But, it's best for morning playtime. Baby Beeton likes to sit in it and laugh and laugh and laugh. Oh, and the Boppy changing pad sets are a lifesaver. We use them in the bassinet, in the carriage, and on the changing table. Instead of constantly changing and washing sheets, we can just throw the pads in the wash when spit up occurs.

6. Breastfeeding has been a challenge for me. I must remind myself that this is not my fault for a host of reasons, including Baby Beeton losing more weight than he should have his first few days out, the crazy antibiotics I was prescribed that unleashed their havoc on my system, and my tendency to be susceptible to blocked milk ducts. There's a host of products that have made this unpleasant obligation a little more bearable (see here, here, here, here, and here... ooo! and all the herbal remedies recommended by the women working here). (By the way, things are now going swimmingly... head control makes all the difference.)

7. Angel Dear - How sweet is this little blankie? We call him Zboo, and we take him wherever we go. Thanks, Auntie M.


8. 3marthas.com burp cloths - My hairdresser at Georgetown Aveda gave Baby Beeton a "Welcome to the World" gift from Dawn Price Baby - a bib and burp cloth from 3marthas.com. I love, love, love these burp cloths. They are not only functional (essentially a cloth diaper) but also stylish (the cute little sewed on characters add flair).

9. Books, books, and more books - At all three of my showers, we got lots of books for our little prince. Right now, our favorite is Henry and Ribsy (thanks Honorary Aunt J).

10. Wee Gallery Art Cards - I admit. I was skeptical about this one. The description alone made me want to cringe: "Wee Gallery art cards are created from bold, whimsical, hand-painted originals that cater to a baby's visual strengths. The black and white images and their repeating patterns captivate little ones. Place them in the crib to transform it into a wee gallery or use them as flash cards for older children." How pretentious. But, they are pretty fabulous - especially the free ones that came from a formula company. We like them so much that we made a mobile out of them.

A friend of mind teased that any good shopaholic would be delighted to have an addition to her family. After all, a whole new world of shopping opens up. I have to agree, though with our little one comes even more limited resources. So, I'll bookmark this post to reference if the future brings more Baby Beetons. Stocking up on the essentials and eliminating the dross means more money to pour into our very own little Money Pit.

Keep sweeping, Martha

everyone knows it's windy

It's been quite a week... earthquakes, hurricanes, and the first time in 31 years that I'm not headed back to school in the fall. A very strange convergence of events indeed.


Photo courtesy of Philly.com.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese and Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay: And Other Things I Had to Learn as a New Mom by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor.

P.S. Thanks, H, for the blog post title.

milestones

The other day my neighbor now friend sent me a link to the following article. I thought it was so perfect because it captures some of the sneaking suspicions I've been having about myself these past two and a half months. I joked back that the article resonated with someone whose ideal target audience is 18-year-olds.

It's true. I have trouble with babies. I don't like to hold other people's babies; I'm not a person who does well with lots of loud noises (like crying for minutes on end); and I'm also a person who LOVES, LOVES, LOVES her sleep. But today I realized that even if babies aren't my thing, my baby is my thing.

Baby Beeton took his first nap in his "big boy" crib today. We've been keeping him in a bassinet in our room since he was born for both naps and nighttime slumber. But, he's getting very long (must get his height from his parents... um, no) and has almost outgrown the bassinet, so we thought it was time to (slowly) transition to his own room in the beautiful crib that his Nana and Pops bought him. When I put him down to sleep, I got a little tear in my eye, realizing that this little peanut is in fact growing each day. And that's when it dawned on me that while I'd still take an 18-year-old over a newborn, I wouldn't trade my little baby in for anything.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Watched The Beaver.

going public

Mr. Beeton wisely informed me that in linking to my sister-in-law's blog in my last post that my anonymity would no longer be in tact. You may have probably guessed from reading this blog that my name isn't Martha Beeton (in fact, that's a nom de plume I came up with from two of my idols - Martha Stewart and Mrs. Beeton of the book of household management), my husband's name isn't Mr., my dog's name isn't Ella (shortened from Nigella, another domestic goddess), and my new baby's name isn't Baby. I suppose when I started this blog I was afraid of getting dooced, but then I quickly realized that aside from my occasional complaint about having too many papers to read I haven't really written anything controversial enough to get me fired from my job at The First President University. And, now that Baby Beeton is here and we're taking pictures left and right, I want to be able to post them without linking to my Flickr account. Like this one here...


Isn't it cute?

It's from our 48-hour stay in Ocean City, New Jersey where we spent some time visiting with my mom, dad, Auntie M, her Lord Boyfriend, my brother, his wife, and their darling Little M. We also got to see my Uncle T though, sadly, we missed visiting with my cousins from Maine because one of the kids had a bit of the stomach flu (we didn't think Baby Beeton could handle those germs right now). Though we didn't get to the beach (except to snap this shot), we did get to walk the boardwalk and pick up some salt water taffy from Shrivers.

Another highlight of our visit was Little M's love of Baby Beeton. You see, Little M is expecting a brother in September - for now nicknamed Baby Puddin' - so she was pleased as punch to be able to have a temporary little brother all to herself. She helped Baby Beeton take a bath; she read him stories; and she sweetly asked, "May I pat Baby Beeton on the head?" and "May I tickle Baby Beeton?" She's going to be a great big sister, and she's going to love her little brother just like I loved her dad - my little brother - when he was born. I hope they have as much fun playing pretend as we did (cue the Monkees soundtrack here).

Keep sweeping, Martha

road trip

The last weekend in July, we traveled out to Chicago to celebrate a milestone for another Baby B - our nephew who was born about a month before Baby Beeton. Many people thought we were crazy for driving out to Illinois; after all, the trip is ten hours. But since Ella has serious separation anxiety, we thought it best to opt for our own little National Lampoon's vacation rather than head to the airport.

Mr. Beeton, Baby Beeton, Ella, and I headed out on Thursday morning, staying at our friend's house in Cleveland on the way out and back. Honorary Uncle P was in Ireland for ten days, so his townhouse in Ohio City was all ours. On the way out, we arrived on Thursday night, grilled steaks, rested, and got up the next day, heading to the West Side Market for lunch. That night, we drove to Cold Water, Michigan where we stayed at a lovely Red Roof Inn and enjoyed Applebee's Curbside To Go. Finally, on Saturday afternoon, we arrived in downtown Chicago, settled in, later meeting up with family for a barbecue. Sunday we celebrated Baby B's big day and relaxed with family that evening. Then, on Monday, it was back to Cleveland and then home to D.C. the next day. My sister-in-law recorded the whole weekend in her blog post "Holy Weekend" - it's complete with adorable pictures of all the cousins who attended.

I have to admit that aside from the Peach Snapps wine coolers from the Walmart in Cold Water, the three egg sandwiches I ate over the course of the weekend (two from Panera and one from Frasca), and Ella's walk down Michigan Avenue, a definite highlight of the weekend were the delicious salads from Whole Foods that we had at the barbecue. In particular, Mr. Beeton and I were taken with an orzo salad - so much so that when we came home we reproduced it in our own kitchen. Scrumptous. And even better the next day.

Greek Orzo Salad

• Make as much orzo as you like.
• Saute spinach with a little garlic.
• Drain orzo. Add spinach, feta cheese, black and green olives.
• Dress with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
• Enjoy.

Thanks to K & B for a wonderful weekend! We can't wait to see you and Baby B soon!

Keep sweeping, Martha

kitchen confidential

Started the great kitchen renovation project today. Priming the cabinets one by one while Baby Beeton sleeps. This could take forever, but it will be worth it. Stay tuned for the results.

Keep sweeping, Martha

you're never fully dressed

It's amazing the difference a smile can make.

Things around the Beeton household of late have been less than ideal. Our little man really threw our carefully crafted life into a tailspin. We were warned, I know. And, we thought we were prepared. But, we've learned you can never really prepare for the chaos that a crying little prince can bring (you may have read about the havoc in a prematurely published post if you have Google reader... my apologies... "Schooling the Bad Parent" had not been properly polished before I hit publish).

But then, something miraculous happened. We got a smile. A full on, gummy little smile. And the world changed. All of the sudden parenting wasn't just 2 am feedings, crying jags, and dirty diapers.

Don't get me wrong. Not every day is great. And most days are pretty darn hard. But, a smile and a coo can make all the difference on even the most difficult of days.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Watching Season Two: Modern Family.

these are days

happy 4th

My sentiments exactly... http://taza-and-husband.blogspot.com/2011/07/happy-4th.html.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Watched Just Go With It.

the not the watermelon post

I had intended, the week before my official due date, to post about watermelons... how my belly was as big as one and how it seemed as though this fruit was the only thing that I wanted to eat. But then, Sunday night, May 29th, my water broke, and we never got to Week 39. Baby Beeton had other plans clearly.

When I was pregnant, a lot of our friends asked us about our birth plan. Epidural? No epidural? Non-chemical induction? Pacifier? There were a million questions. And while we did think about what we'd prefer, we didn't actually end up putting anything in writing. In retrospect, that was a good thing because nothing about our birth process turned out to be anything that we ever anticipated.

That Sunday started off innocently enough. Mr. Beeton and I woke up and went to the Farmers’ Market in Takoma Park to pick up some food for our Memorial Day picnic with Mr. Beeton's parents. Then, we headed off to church. In church, I felt a little woozy, so we decided – even though we had a lot to prep for our company later that day – to have some brunch at one of our favorite spots on Wisconsin Avenue – Café Deluxe (blueberry pancakes for me, in case you were wondering). Then, once fed, we came home, started cleaning like mad, and began making food.

That day was so incredibly hot. We don't have central air, and with the Mr. Beeton's parents and brother all crowded on the screened in porch out back, it was sweltering. I was feeling especially large (and especially sweaty) that day and just plain exhausted. When our company left, we determined we were too tired to do the dishes and headed upstairs to watch our new favorite show – The Killing.

About ten of eleven, I felt a little strange and realized that my water had broken. Yup, just like in the movies. We called the doctor and were told to take our time and head over to the hospital in the next hour or so. I took a shower; we finished packing our bag; and we said good-bye to Ella.

On our drive over to the hospital, we had the realization that since it was Memorial Day weekend our doctor would not be on call. Now, I realize that, in most cases, people deliver their babies with docotrs who aren't necessarily "theirs," but, we had chosen our doctor - Dr. H. - because she practices alone and delivers 80% of all her patients’ babies. However, since Baby Beeton decided to make his debut on a holiday we would have to work with the doctors in her partner practice - none of whom we had met.

In retrospect, the whole experience is kind of a blur, but basically, I experienced every sort of child birthing that you could experience while I was there. To start, I was having contractions, but then they slowed up. So, they decided to give them a kick start with some drugs to induce labor. Then, the contractions started coming fast and furious. I would have preferred not to have an epidural (because the thought of being numb from the waist down scared me... and in thinking back it's a legitimate concern... my upper right thigh is still slightly numb), but about midway through the whole process, I decided I needed one.

Around 10 pm that night (about 24 hours after we had been admitted), they decided I was ready to start pushing – which I did for about 2 hours. Toward the end of that time, I spiked a fever, so the doctor decided to do a C-section. They were concerned about my developing an infection, but they were also concerned about Baby Beeton whose heart was apparently going wonky because of my fever. The one thing that scared me most about the whole labor process was a C-section, but at that point, I didn't have much of a choice. So, off to the operating room we went...

There were some funny moments prior to Baby Beeton's arrival, including my throwing up and Mr. Beeton being worried about throwing up. But, it seemed like in no time Baby Beeton was out and wailing away! I didn't see him when he first came out because he was out of my line of sight, but Mr. Beeton gave me the play-by-play as they cleaned him up. When he was ready to go, the doctors brought him over to Mr. Beeton to hold, and before I knew it, we were being wheeled to the postpartum wing (and everyone along the way was ooo-ing and aah-ing over Baby Beeton's hair).

The three of us were in the hospital for about a week; Ella spent that time with my parents who came down to help out. Because of the timing of our delivery, we could have left Friday or Saturday, but we opted for Saturday.

Thankfully, Baby Beeton has been a wonderful baby because when we got home, we began to experience some pretty serious problems which have hampered my recovery considerably. To start, a few days after we came home, I began feeling some tightness around my incision. One evening, I was working on my computer, and when I sat up, the front of my shirt was covered with fluid and blood. Thinking I had popped a stitch, we rushed to the ER. It turned out that I had developed an infection from the surgery. Apparently, about 5% of all surgery patients develop such infections - lucky me. We left the ER about four in the morning thinking - that with the prescribed antibiotics - all our problems were solved.

But, from there, it only got worse. The first round of antibiotics gave me terrible stomach cramps. The doctor changed the drugs, but the new kind made me even sicker. Around this same time, my parents left to go back to Pennsylvania, so Mr. Beeton and I were left alone to take care of Baby Beeton and Ella. Mr. Beeton's mother was so kind to come out and help us on the afternoons that Mr. Beeton was teaching his summer class (the class began the day that Baby Beeton was born... so Mr. Beeton had been teaching the entire time since Baby Beeton was born). And then, just when we thought we were in the clear, I developed a strange rash all over my body, which resulted in another trip to the ER - this time with Baby Beeton since my parents were no longer around. On this trip, I got a dose of Prednisone to clear up the rash, an IV for dehydration, and a recommendation to start up vitamins since I am anemic. The combination - the doctor on call believed - was what was making me so incredibly sick, weepy, and just all around awful feeling.

Since that visit, I've been doing much better. It makes me sad that I lost those two weeks; I was so out of it that I felt as though I didn't really get a chance to appreciate the wonder that is Baby Beeton. But, I am glad to be on the mend, back to breastfeeding (which we had to put on hold during all the medication), and generally enjoying life once more. And, I'm so thankful to all who helped out during that terrible time - my parents, Mr. Beeton's mom, the consultants from the Breastfeeding Center of D.C. Without all this help, the road would have been even more rocky.

So... that's what's been going on here. A lot of my readers have been writing to say that they wanted details on Baby Beeton's birth, and I apologize for not posting sooner. It's really only been this last week or so that I've felt like I am back in the land of the living. But, there you have it folks. Baby Beeton is here, making a splash, and his momma is finally feeling better.

Now, where did I put that watermelon?

Keep sweeping, Martha

Watching Modern Family.

one week

Lots of exciting things happening in the Beeton household this past week... most importantly the arrival of Baby Beeton! I will post more details soon. For now, I am catching up on all the little stuff that didn't get done when Baby Beeton decided to come a week early (paying bills, wash, dishes, etc.) and, of course, I'm just staring at Baby Beeton and his wild hair.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy and I'll Walk Alone by Mary Higgins Clark. Watched The Hangover II.

like a leek

We're at 38 weeks today. Not much time left until this baby is cooked and ready to make his/her debut. While I have dreams of pregnancy massages and pedicures, in actuality, I'm still working on removing the nasty, old wallpaper from the baby's closet. When my mother was pregnant with my brother, she replaced the kitchen floor. I guess I'm following in her footsteps.

I think I may have mentioned before that every closet in our house is covered in ugly brown wallpaper. (Check it out here.) It not only hideous, but it also smells and looks like someone randomly threw water on parts of it... so it has darker, dried drips throughout. It grosses me out, but Mr. Beeton and I recognize our limitations and put away our clothes anyway. But, I cannot put away the clean baby clothes in that nasty closet. So, I started to remove the wallpaper with a steamer. It comes off rather easily, but it's a pain. It's hot out; the closet is cramped; and I'm nine months pregnant. Enough said.

But, it will be great when it's finally done. The closet in Baby Beeton's room is super deep, so we are going to hang two rows of clothes - adult dress clothes in the back, baby clothes in the front. And, we are going to install another, lower closet rod for more space. In my dreams it looks a bit like this. Our hall closet gives me hope. We did a major overhaul on it (pictures to come). And, it is not only clean but super organized to boot.

If you're wondering what the veggie comparison is for this week, it's a leek in terms of length. In terms of weight, it feels like a lead filled basketball.

Photo courtesy of babycenter.com.

Keep sweeping, Martha

PS - We have to give an official welcome to two new babies this week - Baby B and Baby Q! Baby Beeton will be psyched to have a cousin so close in age, and from what we've seen so far both babies are adorable!

PPS - Thanks to the family for coming down this past weekend to help us prep for Baby Beeton! We finally removed that nasty kitchen fan and stocked up on essentials that we still hadn't gotten for the baby! This weekend, the other half of the family is coming by to celebrate May birthdays and see the nursery.

eating too much lettuce is soporific

Things around here lately have been a curious mix of the good (for instance, a birthday celebration at Founding Farmers with delicious non-alcoholic Cranberry Cucumber Coolers), bad (for instance, giving up our garden plot), and some events that were decidedly mixed (great - yet scary - beginnings). As a result, I haven't blogged about my second baby shower as of yet... and I figured I'd better do so soon because baby shower #3 is just around the corner!

At the end of April, my mother-in-law decided to host a shower at her house in Loudoun County for Mr. Beeton and me. She decided on a Beatrix Potter theme, which is right up our alley and extremely appropriate given that Baby Beeton will be born in The Year of the Rabbit.


The invitations (and stamps!) featured Peter Rabbit, and the whole place was decked out according to theme. There was an adorable "Welcome Baby" banner with Peter in the background, a spinning carousel with Potter characters, and cute Potter character cutouts on top of the cupcakes.


The tables were decorated with glass vegetables, and some of Mr. Beeton and his brother's baby clothes with Peter Rabbit on them were hanging about the house. The favors came in these adorable little Peter Rabbit gift bags and included small plants for everyone's own gardens. If you've ever met Mr. Beeton's mother (or better yet been invited to her house for a party), you know that she knows how to throw a theme party in style. She even had a Beatrix Potter game where you had to guess the Potter character (I did not fare well on this one even though I had just been to see a really compelling lecture by a former University of Delaware professor of mine about Miss Tiggy Winkle).

The food, too, was amazing. My mother-in-law had invited all of her neighborhood friends, as well as some close friends and relatives in the DMV area, and they each contributed dishes. There were excellent finger sandwiches, delicious salads, and my absolute favorite - deviled eggs.

(Sidenote: I've been getting asked a lot lately about my pregnancy cravings. I have to admit that I haven't really had them. When I first found out I was pregnant, there were definitely foods I could not stomach and foods that I could stomach - see here for details. But, in thinking it over, this last month, I really do crave deviled eggs and fruit, mainly watermelon! Many thanks, too, to The Baraness for sending the deviled egg recipe my way.)

All of the women present were so generous. They gave us so many wonderful gifts! A scrapbook, a pewter dish and cup, a snugabunny bouncer, blankets, books, and many, many more terrific items! In particular, I'm excited about the Beatrix Potter teacup and saucer, which will go in Baby Beeton's room along with the banner my mom made for the shower at her house to remind Baby Beeton of his/her two loving grandmas.

Speaking of the nursery, the stripes are finished, the fan is up (thanks to Handyman T), the crib is in, the changing table's last coat of paint is drying, and the blinds have been ordered. It's coming along nicely. Pictures will be posted soon, I promise.

In the meantime, I've got to get this house cleaned before our friends descend on Saturday for our final May shower.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Watched The Dilemma and Please Give (so, so good!)

crenshaw melon

36 weeks! Photo courtesy of thebump.com.

Watched Due Date, How Do You Know, and Creation. Finished reading Out of the Shadows by Joanne Rendell.

do not panic

The other night I had a mini-meltdown. I knew it was coming. Instead of being my usual moody self these past seven or so months, I've actually been quite content. It's like this pregnancy has given me happy hormones, which I love. But, the other night I lost it.

I think it's just been the increasing level of stress. It's the end of the semester. I've had research deadlines to meet. I've had papers to grades. And, we've had lots and lots of people giving us advice, which we haven't necessarily asked for. I know everyone means well, but sometimes, you've just got to let a girl and guy and a dog figure out their own way.

So, when I grabbed a pan off the stove that was filled with water (unbeknownst to me) and sausage grease, spilling it all over our already pretty disgusting (aesthetically and cleanliness-wise) kitchen floor, I kind of freaked. All of the sudden the hideous dining room light fixture, the half-painted nursery, and the partially completed guest room seemed too much to handle. I kept thinking, "I cannot bring Baby Beeton back here. We'll have to stay at The Hay-Adams for at least the first six months."

Nevermind that until Sunday night, we had made some good progress - especially for a pair of notorious procrastinators. We'd taken a breastfeeding class at the Breastfeeding Center of D.C. and signed up for a pumping class and an infant care class there in the next few weeks (what can I say? I'm a teacher... I love classes). We'd ordered our crib. I've been keeping up with my prenatal yoga classes (which I love ) at Lil Omm. We'd taken our labor and delivery class. And, we'd toured the hospital. Not to mention we'd scheduled an appointment with our pediatrician. But none of that mattered to me when faced with a greasy kitchen floor.

Today, though, things seem much better. I have only nineteen, 15-page research projects to go and only twenty-six rewrites left to grade. We've come up with a plan for finishing the nursery. And, today was the last day of classes for me until Fall 2012. So, really, what's a little grease on the kitchen floor, right?

Keep sweeping, Martha

happy anniversary!

april showers

This past weekend, my sister, sister-in-law, and mom hosted my first (of three! yikes!) baby showers in Pennsylvania. They each know me well enough to know that I'm not one who craves being the center of attention, so they planned a very low-key celebration with family and a few of my closest friends. While there wasn't an obvious theme, I think they were going for "old-school" or "retro," which was perfect since that's the code by which Mr. Beeton and I live.

My sister and mom made adorable invitations using their combined crafty-ness. Since Baby Beeton's sex will be a surprise, they couldn't find any good, gender neutral invitations and came up with their own. I think they should go into business.


They decided on having brunch, which consisted of a delicious egg and sausage stratta, a French toast casserole, bagels, and some yummy danishes in a variety of flavors. My mom does not love cooking, so I even doubly appreciated her going to all this effort (and will be getting the stratta recipe from her because it was so darn good!).

They also asked guests to bring children's books instead of cards, which I thought was such a wonderful idea, especially given my chosen occupation. Very fitting. We got everything from Harry the Dirty Dog (from Honorary Aunt J) to A Day at the Seashore (from Cousin M). And, the gifts that we received from everyone were so wonderful! The thank you cards are in the mail, but I wanted to also say here just how much we appreciated everything!

My mom had the living room decorated so cute, too. She put out the cradle which has been used for several generations and filled it with books. A yellow sweater and hat that my Aunt Ruth had knit for me when I was born was hanging from it as well (Aunt Ruth is the one who collected "falling-down men" - a habit I have acquired... I told you I like old-school). And above it was hanging an alphabet banner, which my mom had made, which we absolutely love! In case you didn't know, banners are all the rage on various baby sites (see here, and here, and here). We're going to hang ours up in Baby Beeton's room (check out lil Ella).


And, for favors, my mom made these cute little pinwheels. She found candy sticks at a candy store in town in all different flavors, and she attached yellow and green pinwheels in a variety of patterns with yellow and green ribbons, also in a variety of patterns. They were adorable and looked very cute sitting in vases in bunches throughout the room.


Overall, the weekend - despite my stressing about it - was a great success. Everyone had a good time, and they all seem even more anxious to meet little Baby Beeton when he (or she) arrives.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading Cleaving by Julie Powell (depressing).

jicama

30 weeks! Photo courtesy of thebump.com.

miracle on quackenbos street

As some of you may know, every closet in our house is wallpapered with strange brown stained wallpaper, circa 1940s. It's gross. It depresses me. But, since it's in the closets it hasn't really been a priority. Especially because we've been scratching our heads, trying to figure out the best way to get rid of it.

We have a wallpaper steamer, which we bought to tackle the equally nasty wallpaper border in our living room (see here for those details). But, frankly, I've been afraid to try it because I've been afraid that it won't work. And if it didn't work... well, who knows what we'd do!

But last night, we decided to give it a go. We realized that there was absolutely, positively no way that we were hanging all those cute and clean baby clothes in that nasty closet. And, wouldn't you know it... it worked! One blast with the steamer, and the wallpaper literally melted off the wall. So, pretty soon, we'll have a cleaned out baby closet as well as a newly painted hall closet. Stay tuned for pictures.

Keep sweeping, Martha

PS - Welcome to the world Baby B! We are so excited you are finally here! Wishing k&d all the best as they embark on this exciting adventure!

Watched Switch.