tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40469125471644150502024-02-06T21:10:31.030-05:00The LP HouseCateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.comBlogger110125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-90126836038507121612014-06-24T21:59:00.000-04:002014-06-25T10:22:52.339-04:00Lessons learned from travelling with a baby<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Benoît after taking his malaria prophylaxis. Not sure how much actually got in.</td></tr>
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Look at us, offering all this advice, as though we were experts! A few people have asked us for tips for travelling with babies, so here goes...<br />
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1. When booking your seats on your flight, book an aisle and a window seat. This is actually a great tip for anyone traveling as a couple, with or without a child. If the flight isn't full, people won't usually choose to sit in the middle, so very often you will wind up with an empty seat between you and your partner, where your baby can lie or sit. Worst case scenario is that there is someone sitting in the middle seat, inc which care you just offer them whichever seat you like least (aisle or window) and you and your partner sit together.</div>
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2. If possible, book a room that has a separate living area, because if you don't, the fun ends when the lights go out for the baby's bedtime. We've made this mistake twice now, and kicked ourselves for it. As I am writing this, Dave and I are whispering to each other in the dark so that we don't wake the baby, who is asleep in the corner. A balcony that you can hang out on is a close second to a separate living space.</div>
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3. Some people will say to make sure to nurse or feed while taking off and landing. We have never done this and haven't had a problem yet, but if you are having trouble with the flights, it might be worth a try. I think with the way that cabins are pressurized these days, the main reason that babies can be so fussy on flights is that their sleep schedules get so messed up and they are exhausted. So trying to make sure that they get enough sleep before/during /after has been the best approach for us, as well as feeding him when he gets hungry, rather than making him wait for takeoff.</div>
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4. Bring your carrier on the plane with you. I prefer a Baby K-tan, Dave likes the Ergo baby, either way, wearing the baby in a carrier is cozy for the baby and allows you to use your arms and relax a little more. If your baby can sit up, some people really like bringing a neck pillow for the baby, so they can sit on your lap, lie back and relax.</div>
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5. Take the red-eye flight whenever possible - it increases the chances that your baby will sleep on the flight. The few times we have taken day flights Ben has been awake the whole time and its exhausting!</div>
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6. If possible, have one of you pre-board the flight with your carry on luggage to get everything set up while the other stays off of the plane until the last minute. The more time you can buy yourself off of the plane, the better. Before take off seems to be when babies get the most fidgety so reducing your time on the tarmac helps.</div>
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7. Get to the airport early. This might seem like a no-brainer for a lot of people, but my motto has always been 'if you don't miss a flight a year, you spend too much time in airports'. I pride myself on just how close I can cut it. But alas, running through the airport with a baby in tow takes way longer than it otherwise would, is way more stressful, and has made me rethink my policy. </div>
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8. Baby meds (just in case): it might be worthwhile to bring baby tylenol (of the dye free variety so it doesn't get everywhere), or antihistamines these can sometimes be hard to find in the variety that you like when you are traveling. Also, check well in advance what vaccines or prophylaxis your baby needs, sometimes travel clinics need to special order them and that can take some time.</div>
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9. Bring a comfortable head set or earphones. It can be hard to read with a baby in your arms, but its the perfect time to watch a movie. The movies that we saw on our last flights were the few movies that we have been able to watch in their entirety since Ben was born.</div>
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10. Bring a variety of baby clothes, swaddles, and a blanket on the flight. The temperature on planes can vary widely. The extra clothes help in case of an accident, too.</div>
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11. Bring extra diapers on the flight, in case it gets delayed (which flights in and out of NYC always seem to do)! </div>
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12. Find out as much as you can about your flight, so you can either take advantage of the services provided or brace yourself for their absence. Our flight to Senegal (we're looking at you Delta) did not have bassinets or changing tables!</div>
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13. Finally, if you have any long car rides to take, it might be worthwhile to bring some formula ready to go in a bottle and a separate bottle of water. I say this because sometimes it can be hard to breastfeed - for example when you are stuck in traffic, and breastmilk doesn't always last that long, especially in a hot climate. The nice thing about formula for these situations is that it can stay in powder form right up until the time when you need it, at which point you can mix in some water and its ready to go.</div>
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14. Have no shame! Do whatever it takes to make it through the flight. Here I am covered in a swaddle shushing like a crazy lady, but you know what? It worked!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left: Catee the friendly ghost, feeding and shushing, Right: Benoît snoozing in his carrier on our way to Barbados.</td></tr>
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Finally, enjoy your trip!</div>
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PS: I am sure we'll update this post as time goes by, but feel free to ask any questions about our experience. Alternatively, we'd love to hear your advice...</div>
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Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02579614089066630277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-51998759582610959842014-05-26T08:00:00.000-04:002014-05-27T11:37:28.015-04:00Senegal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US">We have just
returned from a week in Senegal. Dave and I came along with me so that I could attend I workshop for
capacity building of civil society, parliamentarians and the media in budget
analysis and advocacy for the health of mother and child. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I hope I haven’t
lost your interest already. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Budget tracking may seem like a boring topic, but I find it so interesting. For years now,
countries across the globe have been saying that maternal and child health is one of
their top priorities. Statements have been made, coalitions built, strategies
have been developed. On the surface, it would seem as though a lot is
happening. But when you look a little closer you find that despite all the
rhetoric, little progress has been made in improving the health of mother and
children, especially in the poorest countries in the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Ever since I have worked in this field, every time we question why contraceptives are not available in the villages or why health
centers are not staffed with qualified personnel, we almost always get the
same answers: there’s no money, we don’t have the funding, and we can’t afford
it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">A budget is
the single best indicator of a country’s priorities. It is the best way to tell whether
a country is putting its money where its mouth is and whether or not it has
taken steps towards fulfill the commitments that it has made to maternal and
child health.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The three day workshop was attended by delegations from the </span>Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and Senegal. Each country was represented by members of civil society
organizations and the media, along with parliamentarians, and their ministries of finance and of health.</div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The
countries represented in the workshop have budgets that rank among the least
transparent in the world. Of the countries represented, Burkina Faso’s had the
best transparency score in the
International Budget Partnership’s </span><span lang="FR"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bto__2aTMZU">Open Budget Survey</a> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">– a measly 23 out of a 100, Niger,
with the least transparent budget scored a depressing 4/100, with zero
meaningful opportunities for civil society to contribute to the country’s budgeting process. The
survey evaluates the transparency of a budget by looking at what information is
made public and when, as well as who gets to contribute to the process and how
often. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US">The aim of
the workshop was to have members of these delegations first understand the
important role that the budget plays in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) and the financial costs of not
investing in RMNCH. It also taught how good health policies are developed and
costed, and provided options for increasing fiscal space – the money to fund
these policies – within the existing budget.
A budget is public property, it represents the money that belongs to
each and every citizen of a country and therefor, the public should have a
genuine say in how the money is distributed and how is has been spent. This
workshop provided participants with an outline of the steps that should take
place in the budgeting process, and all of the opportunities in which civil
society should be able to contribute. At the end, each of the delegations
developed advocacy objectives and strategies to improve civil society’s
contribution to the budgeting process in order to prioritize health.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">A good
friend of mine who works in finance once told me that talking about money
scares people, that people often feel as though they don’t have enough
knowledge to contribute and are too embarrassed to say so. That definitely explains
how I have felt and I know some of the participants agreed. We were afraid that
the workshop might be too long, too technical and hard to follow, but we
could not have been more wrong. The participants lapped up every word on every
slide, and were thrilled to be equipped with the knowledge of the role they can
plan in ensuring that their country’s budget prioritizes maternal and child
health. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The
presentation on increasing fiscal space even got a standing ovation!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Ile de Gorée, Senegal</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Ile de Gorée, Senegal</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Ile de Gorée, Senegal</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US">On a more personal note, attending a conference with my baby and husband was busy, to say the least, and stirred up a lot of feelings that I hadn't anticipated. </span>When I returned to work at the beginning of April, I felt like I was struggling to be the parent that I wanted to be and struggling to do the job that I wanted to. I could no longer stay with the baby all day and I couldn't stay late at work either. In many ways, the workshop only made these feelings worse.<br />
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Usually, when I attend a conference or workshop, I spend the coffee breaks networking with other agencies and donors, or helping out in some way. On this trip I spent my time running through the halls of the now-faded King Fahd Palace Hotel so that I could get back to the room to breastfeed. At the end of the day, rather than debriefing with other facilitators, I was stressing about getting back to Ben and Dave, who had taken a week off of his own work so that I could travel to Senegal. I felt like I was no just falling short at work and parenting but also at being a wife, and questioning if the trip had truly been worth it. I worried about the precedent that I had set in my office: would other parents now be expected to travel when their babies are 4 months? Would they be expected to foot the bill for their families to join, as I did? Had I just done my colleagues a huge disservice? Then I started to beat myself up for being such an over-thinker: do I have to make all the right decisions all the time? Does everything I do have to be perfectly feminist all the time? Why do I always second guess myself?<br />
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Am I the only one that does this, feeling guilty about feeling guilty?<br />
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Luckily, in the last days of the trip reminded me of another reason that I went to Senegal: I really do love traveling. After the conference ended, Dave, Ben and I went to <a href="http://www.niassam.com/">Les Collines de Niassam</a>, a beautiful eco-lodge three hours outside of Dakar, were we relaxed, bird watched, ate delicious food, went for a long walk to the salt wells, and took a boat ride, where we gorged ourselves on freshly picked oysters. It may not have answered any of my questions, but it sure was lovely. For now, it feels like it was the right decision to go.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dave, relaxing on the balcony of our room at Niassam</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Senegalese women harvest salt in Palmarin, Senegal<br />
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Salt wells in Palmarin </div>
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Benny came along for the ride.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A man cleaning his fields in Palmarin</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Thomas, our boat guide and oyster-picker.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freshly picked oysters</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisn4ci-1mEH2eLt6EzsYG7Revoss_unzjbCRmRsdTiFy5fQcGydR3ib7yQzwcTlDqruKNN4dtklSmoAmcfIRUK27ydt5NTXLPNehsouF8CcOEanWm6-P22u9XdntztLQxWxSIlET1ZBbPa/s1600/photo+(5).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisn4ci-1mEH2eLt6EzsYG7Revoss_unzjbCRmRsdTiFy5fQcGydR3ib7yQzwcTlDqruKNN4dtklSmoAmcfIRUK27ydt5NTXLPNehsouF8CcOEanWm6-P22u9XdntztLQxWxSIlET1ZBbPa/s1600/photo+(5).JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">I think we had about 40 oysters each.</span></div>
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Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-45558931488604402512014-05-24T13:26:00.002-04:002014-05-24T13:26:56.497-04:00I'm a stereotype<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Cd0uaMynQJI" width="640"></iframe><br />
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This morning I was walking through the aisles of a store with Ben in his stroller when I kept on bumping into the same man. The first time I said, "Sorry" as I tried to squeeze past him -not so bad. The second time, I walked past him, and said, "sorry" as though anticipating that he might accidentally back up and bump in to me - kind of bad. The third time I saw him the man said, "Hello again!" to me and I responded with "Sorry!" That's really bad! I actually apologized to him for just being there. How ridiculous is that?! Sometimes I say sorry when other people bump into me!<br />
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Have you ever realized that you fulfill a stereotype?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry, I couldn't help myself.</td></tr>
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PS: the video is from <a href="http://www.anchormanmovie.com/">Anchorman 2</a></div>
Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-51992035652271511182014-05-20T22:15:00.001-04:002014-05-23T12:55:36.930-04:00Our baby essentials (so far)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Ahh! Babies require so much stuff! Brooklyn is a very fertile place these days, and a number of people have asked me about what baby gear we would recommend them, so here goes:</b><br />
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<b>Stroller: </b>We use the <a href="http://www.buybuybaby.com/store/product/chicco-reg-keyfit-caddy-lightweight-aluminum-infant-car-seat-carrier-stroller/1018580667?Keyword=chicco+keyfit">Chicco key fit caddy</a> with the <a href="http://www.buybuybaby.com/store/product/chicco-reg-keyfit-30-infant-car-seat-in-element/1041376386?Keyword=chicco+keyfit+30">Key Fit 30 <b>car seat</b></a>. We love it. It's small and affordable, with a huge basket underneath. We bring it on the subway, out to restaurants and the caddy folds up pretty small for car rides. The car seat comes with a base that you leave in the car so you can just click it in when you use it, but it can also be used without. The combo was also perfect for travel as we avoided having to bring a full stroller and a car seat. We bought the car seat on craigslist for 1/3 of the price of buying it new. Often parent groups and online communities will have lots of posts of things for sale. If you keep your eye out you can find a lot of stuff for great prices.<br />
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<b>Swaddles: </b> When the baby was born we loved the <a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/130503421962?lpid=82">stiff flannel swaddles</a> from the hospital. They are cheap and stiff enough to keep the baby tightly wrapped, which is key. When the baby got a little bigger, we used the <a href="https://www.halosleep.com/sleepsack-swaddle/">Halo sleepsack swaddle</a> which is amazing. At first I was horrified by it (it looks like a straitjacket) but I soon fell in love when I saw how quickly Benoît falls asleep in it. We have them in the organic cotton variety and the microfleece variety. I personally prefer the microfleece ones because they pin the arms down extra tightly, ha! I have also used <a href="http://www.summerinfant.com/nursery/swaddling/swaddle-resources">Summer brand</a> which was fine. I have also heard good things about the <a href="http://www.miracleblanket.com/">Miracle blanket</a>.<br />
* Note on <a href="http://www.adenandanais.com/en-us/content/swaddles.aspx">Aden and Anais swaddles</a>: they are beautiful, but they are not great swaddles - they are too big and don't stay snug. As a winter baby, we hardly used ours. We have, however, used them as extra blankets in warm weather, as stroller covers and nursing covers. In short: they are great for warm weather, but don't expect to actually use them as swaddles.<br />
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<b>Diapers: </b> We use <a href="http://www.diaperkind.com/">DiaperKind</a> cloth diapering service with <a href="http://www.clothdiaper.com/cloth-diapers/Prefolds/Indian-Prefold-Diapers-Unbleached-dozen.html?gclid=CO68-bCPwr4CFesDOgod2h8ArA">prefold diapers</a> and covers made by <a href="http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/thirsties-duo-wrap-diaper-covers.html">Thirsties</a>, <a href="http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/flip-diaper-covers.html">Flip</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rumparooz-Cloth-Pocket-Diaper-Charlie/dp/B00GJVM2NW/ref=sr_1_2?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1400634925&sr=1-2&keywords=rumparooz">Rumparooz</a>. All the covers are great. These are the less expensive covers that have snaps to adjust for size. We also use <a href="http://snappibaby.com/products/snappi-diaper-fastener">Snappi</a> fasteners which make putting on the diapers really easy (honestly just as easy as disposables, once you get the hang of it). We use the service because we didn't have a washer dryer until yesterday, and love it. While travelling we use <a href="https://www.honest.com/baby/honest-diapers">Honest</a> diapers. We don't use any diaper creams, powders or products at all and Benoît has never had diaper rash.<br />
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<b>Crib: </b>We have the <a href="http://www.bloombaby.com/us_en/alma-mini.html">Alma Mini</a>, which is small but perfectly sized for Benoit's room. We haven't had any problems with it yet.<br />
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<b>Carrier: </b>We got the <a href="http://www.babyktan.com/">Baby K'Tan</a> as a hand-me-down and I loved it as soon as I could figure out how to use it. Its packs small enough that you can always keep it in your bag, and its not bulky underneath a jacket. Caveat: you need to buy it sized for the parent, so its not easy for both parents to share, unless they are the same size. The <a href="http://www.mobywrap.com/s.nl/sc.21/.f">Moby</a> is quite similar in feel but the size can be changed. Also, this type of carrier is not very supportive so might be better for younger babies.<br />
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<b>Another carrier: </b> Now that Benoît it getting heavier, we really like the Ergobaby. We currently have the <a href="http://store.ergobaby.com/baby-carrier/performance-collection/ergobaby-performance-baby-carriers?child=BCP02500NL">Ergobaby Performance</a>, which is a more breathable fabric. This is the carrier that is the most comfortable for longer uses without causing neck and back pain, it also has a napping hood which is great. Ergo baby just came out with a <a href="http://store.ergobaby.com/baby-carrier/four-position-360/360-carrier?child=BC360GRYTAU1NL">4 way carrier</a> which looks awesome.<br />
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<b>Running stroller:</b> We have the <a href="http://www.diapers.com/p/bob-revolution-se-orange-88633">Bob Revolution SE</a> and love it. Because Benoît is still only 4 months we use it with a car <a href="http://www.diapers.com/p/bob-infant-car-seat-adaptor-graco-91847?icn=Personalization_CBAB&ici=di_c_CBABImagetoPDP&ref=pd_cbab_di_de_t1_c_3_im&isCrossSite=Y">seat adapter</a>, which also has an infant adapter. Its a little on the pricey side, but we just didn't want to have any excuses not to exercise. We have been using this since a few weeks after the baby was born. It folds easily, maneuvers well, has a big basket underneath and fits in the trunk of our car. We also bought an <a href="http://www.diapers.com/p/bob-handlebar-console-single-831599?icn=Personalization_FBT&ici=di_c_FBTImagetoPDP&ref=pd_fbt_di_de_t7_c_2_im">attachment</a> that holds two bottles and our phones / keys, etc... <br />
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<b>Baby bouncer: </b>We have really liked the <a href="http://www.babybjorn.com/baby-bouncers/baby-bouncer-balance-soft/">BabyBjorn bouncer</a>. Ben loves to sit in it. It can be bounced by the parent or an older baby and it can be reclined to be more conducive to sleep.<br />
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<b>Diaper bag: </b> We have this <a href="http://www.soyoung.ca/diaper-bags-and-clutches/khaki-charlie-bag.html">SoYoung diaper bag</a>. It was kind of a splurge, but we love it for longer outings or when we have the stroller to strap it too. It is also perfect for plane rides: it fits a change of clothes, loads of diapers and wipes, a changing pad, swaddles and a couple of bottles. We also have this <a href="http://www.buybuybaby.com/store/product/skip-hop-reg-pronto-changing-station-in-chevron/1041506080?categoryId=32077">SkipHop pad </a>that is great for throwing into another bag.<br />
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<b>Pacifier: </b>We love <a href="http://www.wubbanub.com/prod_giraffe.html">Wubanubs! </a> They are a stuffed animal and pacifier in one, and perfect for bed time because the stuffed animal can rest on the baby's chest, making it more likely to stay in place. It is also easier for the baby to grab a hold of it and move it around.<br />
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<b>Nursing cover: </b>I don't think that a woman should have to cover, but there have been times when what I am wearing does not really lend themselves to nursing and the cover allows me to nurse discreetly. I also use it when I am pumping because, lets be honest, no one wants to see that. I think these are all more or less the same, so its really about finding a pattern that suits you, just make sure it has a wire that allows you to look at your baby easily. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bebe-Au-Lait-Nursing-Cover/dp/B000ERPR3O/ref=sr_1_18?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1400637769&sr=1-18&keywords=hooter+hider">Here</a> is the one that I own.<br />
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<b>Baby clothes:</b> We have been extremely fortunate to have received a lot of hand me downs. But my favorite baby clothes, by far, are from <a href="http://www.zara.com/us/en/new-this-week/baby-boy-c363014.html">Zara</a>. They are reasonably priced, totally adorable, and great for big, cloth-diapered bums. I also like plain-old, white onesies. Any brand will do, but <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gerber-Unisex-Baby-Variety-Onesies-Months/dp/B007CRR7ZA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400637207&sr=8-1&keywords=gerber+onesies+white">Gerber</a> has some nice affordable ones.<br />
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I think those are the major ones. Is there anything that I am missing? I would love to know... Also, we are on the hunt for a high chair. Any recommendations?<br />
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Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-42498049126287058712014-05-16T17:09:00.000-04:002014-05-16T17:09:22.311-04:00Camille Lepage<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I am completely obsessed with Camille Lepage, the 26 year old photojournalist who was recently killed in Central African Republic.<br />
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Camille wanted to show the world about the most neglected conflicts and spend the last two years living in South Sudan and the Central African Republic. <br />
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In an <a href="http://petapixel.com/2013/10/22/hidden-world-south-sudan-interview-photojournalist-camille-lepage/"><span id="goog_766163275"></span>interview<span id="goog_766163276"></span></a> last year she said, "I want the viewers to feel what the people are going through. I'd like them to empathize with them as human beings, rather than seeing them as another bunch of Africans suffering from war somewhere in this dark continent. I wish they think: 'Why on Earth are those people in living hell; why don't we know about it and why is no one doing anything?' I would like the viewers to be ashamed of their government for knowing about it without doing anything to make it end."<br />
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I am not sure what it is that I am drawn to in her work. Maybe its that she took beautiful, often shocking, photos; or maybe its that she worked in countries and on issues that I care about deeply. Maybe its that somehow, she reminds me of myself at 26. I was 26 when I started working for MSF. At the time, I was willing to go anywhere and to do anything to help people in need, particularly those in conflict settings. Help is a loaded term and probably not the best description of what I was actually doing, but I can't think of a better way to say it, that is truly what I wanted to do. I have changed a lot as a person since then and in some ways better than others, I may be more effective at my work, even more thoughtful and conscientious, but I can get caught so up in skepticism, pragmatism, and diplomacy that I lose my inspiration along the way. In many ways, I miss my 26 year old self and the confidence that I once had.<br />
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Some people might say that Camille took too many risks or that she was too young, or even that she died in vein. I hope they don't. We need more people like her.<br />
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Please please please check out her work and learn about the conflicts that she covered in the the <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2014/05/slide-show-remembering-camille-lepage-1988-2014.html#slide_ss_0=12">New Yorker</a>, <a href="http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/05/13/bearing-witness-losing-her-life/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0">New York Times</a>, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/the-work-of-camille-lepage-french-photojournalist-killed-in-africa/2014/05/14/14afd89c-dad4-11e3-8009-71de85b9c527_gallery.html#item13">The Washington Post</a> (<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/05/13/rip-camille-lepage-french-photojournalist-killed-in-central-african-republic/">here too</a>), <a href="http://blogs.afp.com/correspondent/?post/Camille-Lepage%3A-A-brilliant-career-cut-short">AFP </a>and her <a href="http://camille-lepage.photoshelter.com/">website</a>.<br />
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Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-56760346790086166932014-05-01T21:12:00.001-04:002014-05-01T21:12:25.159-04:00Our family photos<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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There are few things that I was really insistent on after having Benoît, but one thing that I really wanted was a professional photographer to come take pictures of the family together. I knew that if we didn't we would only have pictures with either Dave or I in them, but not with both of us. They would also probably all be taken with our phones, which is less than ideal. We did some initial looking around and found that baby photographers were either really expensive (!) or were taking pictures that just weren't our style (picture babies in costumes tucked into baskets).</div>
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We reached out to <a href="http://www.levkuperman.com/">Lev Kuperman</a>, our <a href="http://www.levkuperman.com/2012/07/catee-david-brooklyn-wedding-the-green-building/">wedding</a> photographer. He knew exactly what we wanted and took beautiful photos at a really reasonable price. I was super excited to see that he posted some of our pictures on his <a href="http://www.levkuperman.com/2014/04/brooklyn-family-photographer/">blog</a>. I can't say enough about Lev. He has now shared two very special moments with us, and it just felt right having him come into our home when Ben was so young. </div>
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Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-18792196991080371302014-04-29T21:25:00.001-04:002014-05-01T16:12:31.946-04:00The view from here (after a month back at work)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Wednesday marks the end of my first month back at work. The first week back I was like, "Yeah! Its noon and I am already dressed! I am wearing a bra! With under-wires, no less! I am having adult conversations!" I even went a couple of minutes without thinking about Benoît or anything else baby-related, for that matter.<br />
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My mother couldn't have been more right when she called that the honeymoon period. The joy of going back has already been replaced with a love of caffeine, and of the clock striking 5. But while the romance with work might be over, my love for Ben is still going strong. Yes, I am exhausted, and no, Ben still doesn't sleep through the night. No, my clothes don't quite fit me yet, and yes, pumping is still the pits. But nothing beats the feeling of coming home to this face every night.<br />
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From where I stand, things look pretty good.<br />
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Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02579614089066630277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-48883678066411163262014-04-22T22:48:00.004-04:002014-04-22T22:48:38.260-04:00You had me at Dakar<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boabab at dawn (<a href="http://shahidul.wordpress.com/2008/06/18/dancing-amidst-the-baobabs/">Shahidul)</a></td></tr>
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About a month ago, the week before I was set to return to work, my boss called to tell me about a workshop taking place in Senegal at the beginning of may. She was all, "There is this budget tracking workshop in Dakar, it would be so great if you could go, but no... its too early. Forget that I mentioned it, its no big deal. Sigh. It would just would be so great if you could go". The truth is that she had me at Dakar. From that point on, it was really more of a question of how to make the trip work with Benoît than whether or not I would go. Travelling is sometimes the bane of my work existence - it can be really disruptive to my personal life - but it is also one of the parts of my job that I cherish the most, seeing new countries and meeting new people, it also helps me to better understand the contexts in which my colleagues work. In some respects, my greatest professional asset has been my willingness to travel. Ever since I got pregnant I have been wondering just how I would balance work with family, so I was eager to figure out how to get to Senegal with a four month old, 100% breastfeeding baby. <br />
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I was pleasantly surprised by just how many people were supportive of me travelling. Former colleagues and professional acquaintances were quick to share their stories of traveling with their babies, breastfeeding mid-conference, and to put me in touch with child care options. It was as though every mother that I had worked with wanted to show me that it was not only possible, but rewarding to have a travel-intensive job and have a baby.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stilt Houses at Niassam (<a href="http://www.flickriver.com/places/Senegal/Fatick/Palmarin/recent/">Flickriver</a>)</td></tr>
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The only caveat that these travelling mothers had shared was that they had each brought along a travel companion, usually a mother, sister or spouse, to help with the baby while they were away. I resisted this option initially, mainly because of the cost. It seemed crazy to me to have to spend so much money to be able to work, especially if I could do it on my own, so I did the research on going solo: I found flights form New York to Senegal, found a hotel, looked up malaria prevention for babies, found childcare. I started out proud of myself and excited about the adventure, but as more and more logistical details became apparent (would the flight have a bassinet? would the cars accomodate Benoît's car seat? would he tolerate the malaria prophylaxis?) I began feeling like I was just planning on taking the trip alone because I wanted to prove that it could be done, when in reality I was starting to dread dealing with these challenges on my own.<br />
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In the end I convinced Dave to come with me. Neither of us have been to Senegal so we're going to make a vacation out of it. You only live once, right? I am, however, very aware of what a privilege it is to have the ability to bring my husband along with me on a trip like this. I can't help but feel a bit uncomfortable with the knowledge that -let's be honest here- rarely do the salaries from my line of work allow for the spouses, mothers or sisters to come along. One needs an independent source of wealth to make bringing someone along doable. There is still another part of me that knows that doing this trip alone could have been done, but have to admit that it would not have been easy. No matter how much help I would have gotten from my colleagues it would just not be as easy for me to travel with a baby as it is for childless men and women.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Retba (<a href="http://www.geekologie.com/2012/07/damn-mother-nature-you-crazier-than-that.php">Geekologie</a>)</td></tr>
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In the meantime, Dave and I are starting to get super excited: after the workshop we are going to stay at <a href="http://www.niassam.com/">Les Collines Niassam</a> in a house built on stilts over a lagoon. We're looking forward to some fresh Senegalese seafood, to boabab trees (like the one above), a trip to <a href="http://webworld.unesco.org/goree/en/visit.shtml">Ile de Goree</a>, and if time permits, a visit to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Retba">Lake Retba </a>(the pink lake above). We'll let you know how it goes!<br />
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Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-8724548430717136972014-02-19T11:47:00.000-05:002014-02-19T12:00:37.052-05:00Nanny and Ben<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Life, by virtue of it's sheer persistence, has not been kind to my grandmother these days. She is 95 years old. For the past 3 years she has been just well enough to survive, but not well enough to enjoy living.<br />
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We remember her caring for us when we were little, the aroma of her apple pies, playing dress-up in her jewelry. It's not clear what she remembers. Nanny is just lucid enough to know that she has dementia and that she should recognize us, but doesn't. Her not knowing who we are pains us all. Visits are short: we make small talk, carefully avoid telling stories that might upset her or asking questions that might confuse her. We were fearful of bringing Benoît to meet her yesterday. We didn't know how he would react - would he cry? Would he be scared? Would that upset Nanny even more?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNT1dAceEvxPuEVBxWrBQCrDooW9yn9XKY31enUY73IIrGBuXFR0jL4vHlybdNY56U3hVLEAZhs6D4pBLCXci0GFD0ZduVX6U0euGvhY-OcjOLUYX9Q0Nv9kGq7d30LUvY2-GmPGTSgGf8/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNT1dAceEvxPuEVBxWrBQCrDooW9yn9XKY31enUY73IIrGBuXFR0jL4vHlybdNY56U3hVLEAZhs6D4pBLCXci0GFD0ZduVX6U0euGvhY-OcjOLUYX9Q0Nv9kGq7d30LUvY2-GmPGTSgGf8/s1600/photo+1.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a><br />
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Things did not look promising when we arrived - she was not feeling well and lying in bed unresponsive, but the most amazing thing happened when we put the baby in her bed - he snuggled up to her and her face lit up. No one spoke. They just grinned and stared into each others eyes. It was the first time I had seen her smile in years. Its unclear if she knew who he was, or why he was there but it was clear that she was happy about it.</div>
Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-21771631242630946522014-02-10T12:25:00.000-05:002014-02-10T12:25:23.530-05:00Office Wall Paper<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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OK. Calling the nook in our family room an office is a bit of a stretch - maybe office nook would be more appropriate.Whatever you call it, I am thinking about using wall paper to punch up that space. Here are some ideas I have been looking at.</div>
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New York based <a href="http://moonishco.com/magnetic-tiles/">Moonish</a> has the most amazing magnetic plywood tiles (above) that can easily be moved around or removed. I really only posted the video because I think it looks cool.</div>
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(Above left: <a href="http://www.fermlivingshop.com/collections/wallpaper/products/remix-wallpaper">Ferm Living</a>, right: <a href="http://www.degournay.com/">De Gournay</a> in <a href="http://www.housetohome.co.uk/house-tour/picture/take-a-tour-around-a-contemporary-north-carolina-home/4">House to Home</a>)</div>
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From top right: <a href="http://www.justkidswallpaper.com/products/sandberg-amelie-nw-light-green-kids-wallpaper">Just Kids Wallpaper</a>, <a href="http://www.elledecor.com/">Elle Decor</a> April 2009 issue, bottom two from <a href="http://www.whatisblik.com/shop/">Blik</a><br />
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PS: Remember <a href="http://groupthink.jezebel.com/surya-bonaly-was-the-biggest-bad-ass-in-winter-olympics-1517897822?fb_action_ids=709613259060577&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B508597332591947%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22og.likes%22%5D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D">Surya Bonali</a>?</div>
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PPS: Can you believe the CEO of Bayer actually said <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jX7N0sZEQsHkzNIlwdC0DnOVnJHw?docId=df283c34-aebe-4e77-aaae-9f41f95d004a">this</a>? MSF's full response <a href="http://www.msfaccess.org/content/msf-response-bayer-ceo-statement-medicines-developed-only-western-patients">here</a>.<br />
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Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-11873748084218794972014-02-08T23:53:00.001-05:002014-02-09T00:19:27.575-05:00Snowshoeing!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This past Thursday a power failure in Brooklyn forced Dave and I to go to his parent's house in Connecticut. While lovely, their house can feel a bit isolated in the wintertime. Fearing that we might lose our minds staying inside the whole weekend, we went looking for a baby-friendly outdoor activity that would let us take advantage of all of the snow that we have been having lately. We decided to try snowshoeing with Ben.<br />
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We were surprised how fun and baby-friendly the outing was! Snowshoeing is great because it requires minimal skill (the ability to walk), minimal gear (snowshoes, which are quite small nowadays - we rented ours at a local hiking shop), and a snowy trail. We went to Bull's Bridge, CT and had the whole path to ourselves. Next time it snows we are going to try going in Prospect Park!<br />
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<u>A couple of lessons we learned from snowshoeing with a five 5 week old:</u><br />
1. Just because it's warm in the parking lot, doesn't mean its warm on the trail. Bundle the baby up, especially if your carrier is outside of your jacket. About 20 minutes into the hike Ben woke up in hysterics, presumably cold. We had unwisely left his blanket in the car - we resolved this by stuffing as much of his carrier into my jacket and covering him with a folded swaddle.<br />
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2. Carry a bottle in your breast pocket. Both of these are important - the bottle because breastfeeding outside in the middle of winter is less than ideal, and the breast pocket is to keep the milk warm. When we tried to feed cold Ben (see above) with a cold bottle, he was understandably having none of it. After just 10 minutes of snowshoeing with the bottle in Dave's jacket, the milk was warm enough for him to take it.<br />
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PS: <a href="http://nextimpulsesports.com/2014/02/05/canada-fires-back-russias-ban-gay-propaganda-hilarious-homoerotic-commercial/#_">The Olympics have always been a little gay</a><br />
PPS: We tried this delicious <a href="http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/salmon--fennel-roasted-lemon-vinaigrette-00000000007662/">Salmon recipe</a>, and this <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/eggplant-au-poivre">Eggplant Steak au Poivre</a> and you should too!<br />
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Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-75216593378436842742014-01-30T18:58:00.001-05:002014-01-30T21:59:16.559-05:00Unsolicited advice on giving unsolicited advice<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The other day I was sitting at a restaurant bottle feeding Ben, when a woman approached me and asked me why I wasn't breastfeeding him. Despite my knowing that the question was inappropriate and all the possible reasons why a person would or could not breastfeed, I was in shock, and I stumbled to answer, "Uhhh, this is breastmilk... errr, I do breastfeed, I am trying to breastfeed!" And she proceeded to tell me how good breastfeeding was for her, and how she breastfed all of her own kids.<br />
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I don't doubt that the woman had the best intentions. I think most people offering unsolicited advice normally do, but that is besides the point. The point is how its received. It is hard for the person getting the advice not to interpret advice as criticism. In that moment in the restaurant, I took that woman to be telling me that I should be breastfeeding and was doing something wrong by bottle feeding. As new parents, Dave and I have been given a plethora of conflicting advice: breastfeeding will make your baby smarter and healthier, breastfeeding is overrated, let your kid cry a bit and soothe himself if you don't he will be needy, never let your baby cry it will cause permanent emotional damage, co-sleep, don't co-sleep because it will cause attachment, use a pacifier, don't use a pacifier - it will ruin your baby's teeth, use a swaddle, swaddles will ruin your baby's hips, so on and so forth. You get it. Every decision we have made has been with full knowledge of its supposed risks, and none has been with any level of confidence. I truly believe that our experience is one that is common to almost all new parents, and so giving unsolicited advice is actually providing criticism at a time when what is most needed is encouragement.<br />
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While I was pregnant I read blog entries on <a href="http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com/2013/10/motherhood-mondays-tell-friend-you-are.html">Cup of Jo</a> and <a href="http://www.kveller.com/blog/parenting/tell-a-friend-you-are-a-good-mama/">Kveller</a> about how nice it feels to have someone tell you that you are a good mom. At the time I didn't quite get just how true that would be. The truth is, whatever advice you are about to give, rest assured, they have heard it. Trust me. So from now on, whenever I get the inclination to offer up some of my expert advice (we are all guilty), I will hold that thought and instead say, "You are a good mom (or dad)". I am sure that both of us will be better off for it.<br />
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Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-25551715298684192202014-01-29T11:43:00.000-05:002014-01-29T11:43:52.140-05:00Miscellaneous mercredi...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After 9 months of wanting to
wear nothing but stretchy pants and mumus, I have regained my interest in
clothes! I am not ready to venture into the denim department just yet (I will
be wearing my maternity jeans for another little while – don’t judge) but I
would be happy with a new jacket and some sweaters. When I used to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_planting">plant trees</a> <a href="http://www.carhartt.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/HomeView?storeId=10051&catalogId=10101&fullsite=">Carhartt </a>was
the go-to brand for super durable, nice looking work wear. Now they have a line
of street wear that I love – here are some pieces that I have been drooling
over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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PS: I am brushing up on my knowledge of the conflict in Central African Republic. I am starting at <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/centralafricanrepublic/">Times Topics</a> (Terry - it's up to date!), <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13150040">BBC profiles</a>, <a href="http://allafrica.com/centralafricanrepublic/">All Africa</a>. <a href="http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news/allcontent.cfm?id=17">MSF / Doctors Without Borders </a>for humanitarian news. Do you have any good news and analysis sources to share?<br />
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PPS: Read <a href="https://medium.com/better-humans/802c49b9141c">Don't Date a Girl Who Travels</a> to see why its so amazing that Dave has put up with me for so long...<br />
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PPPS: <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/05/24/489973/paid-maternity-leave-us/">See how the US compares to other nations when it comes to paid maternity leave</a>.<br />
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PPPPS: I just asked Dave, "What day of the week is it today, its Tuesday, right?" to which he responded, "Yes, its Tuesday." Nope. Both wrong. It's Wednesday. I guess we're not as well slept and clear headed as we thought...</div>
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Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-62960972241849170972014-01-27T22:46:00.000-05:002014-01-29T20:27:13.072-05:00Maternity Leave + Paternity Leave = Gourmet Cooking!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I heart paternity leave. Big time. You heard me. Paternity leave. Having Dave around for the past four weeks has been wonderful. As much as I love him, I can't imagine being at home alone with Ben at this stage when he's so small and we're just trying to figure him out.<br />
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Dave is bonding with the baby and me in ways that he wouldn't be able to if he were at the office - he has had the time he needs to get to know Ben, to get comfortable consoling him, figuring out what will put him to sleep, or pique his attention. The benefits of having Dave home are many, not the least of which is the extra set of hands. Hands to bring me water when I am nursing, bottles when I am pumping, to take the baby when he's inconsolable and I have tried everything, to play with him, and watch over him when I am busy. Rather than being exhausted (okay - we are both still a bit tired) and overwhelmed, we are happy and doing well.<br />
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Dave and I have always loved food and cooking, but one of the best parts of having family leave together has been that we are able to cook dinner together and we have an excuse to stay in! Since Ben's birth we have made a point of experimenting with new recipes, and made a ritual of setting the table, lighting a candle. Here is what we have experimented with and loved:<br />
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<img src="http://www.bonappetit.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/pan-roasted-chicken-with-harissa-chickpeas-940x600.jpg" height="408" width="640" /><br />
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Delicious <a href="http://www.fortheloveofcooking.net/2012/06/salmon-with-garlic-lemon-and-dill.html">salmon with garlic, lemon and dill</a>.<br />
<a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/quinoa-fennel-and-pomegranate-salad">Fennel, quinoa and pomegranate salad</a> (top image).<br />
The best <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/herb-roasted-lamb-chops">herb roasted lamb chops</a> I have ever tasted.<br />
<a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/pan-roasted-chicken-with-harissa-chickpeas">Pan roasted chicken with harissa chickpeas</a> (image above).<br />
<a href="http://www.plumpjack.com/newsletter/BalboaBurgerRecipe_July2012.pdf">The Plumpjack Balboa burger with pickled onions.</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/sausage-and-broccoli%E2%80%A8-rabe-frittata">Sausage and broccoli rabe fritatta</a>.<br />
<a href="http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fish-recipes/delicious-roasted-white-fish-wrapped-in-smoked-bacon-with-lemon-mayonnaise-and-asparagus">Baked cod wrapped in bacon.</a><br />
This pasta sauce that we saw on a chalk board at <a href="http://bklynlarder.com/">Brooklyn Larder</a>: 1 tin of Matiz sardines, 2 cans of peeled tomatoes, chili de arbol, and some garlic (this was our own addition) over fresh pasta.<br />
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PS: We're making an effort to eat more responsibly these days, so all of the meat we have cooked has been local and free range / organic.<br />
PPS: If you are looking at these recipes and worrying about our arteries, here are our philosophies on food:<br />
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PPPS: First two images (and most recipes!) from <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/">Bon Appetit</a>. Image above from the <a href="http://www.alexandracooks.com/shop/shop/julia-child-note-cards-8/">Print Shop by Alexandra's Kitchen</a>.<br />
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Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-84092000607982775932014-01-25T11:55:00.000-05:002014-01-29T20:27:25.079-05:00Papa t'aime<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Dear
Ben,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Over
the coming years you might notice your father being treated like a second class
parent: men get less parental leave than women, if they get any at all. Fathers who want to stay with their families when their babies are born have to pay exorbitant fees to do so. Today at the library your dad couldn’t find a
place to change you because change tables are only found in women’s bathrooms.
Even laws heavily favor mothers over fathers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I
want you to know that your father is anything but a second-rate parent. From
the moment you were born he has swaddled, shushed and swayed you to sleep, and
stayed up at all hours of the night feeding and changing you. He has rushed out
in snowstorms to buy breastfeeding paraphernalia to help you eat and gain
weight. He has spent hours researching
the best and safest daycares and strollers. He is a member of just about every
parent listserv in the whole city and has read enough about your brain’s
development and how to nurture it to make him an expert. He will never tire of
holding you, kissing you, and playing with you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In your first weeks of life, your
dad has proven himself to be a wonderful, 100% equal, first-rate parent. Hopefully, by the time you are old
enough to want kids, things will have changed, and if you choose to become a
father, society will acknowledge the importance of your role in raising your
kids and support you in doing so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Love,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">Mom</span></div>
Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-64077988865343547002014-01-20T23:06:00.000-05:002014-01-29T20:27:44.333-05:00Benoît!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">After
a long hiatus from blogging due to unforeseen delays in the renovation of
our house (which many of you know about and which I will elaborate on much more
later) we had another life changing event that we thought was worth sharing - possibly the
biggest accomplishment of our lives: on December 31<sup>st</sup> of 2013, I</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-color: white;">gave birth to a healthy baby boy
named Benoît. It was simultaneously the most difficult and amazing day of my
life. For those who are interested, I have included a blow-by-blow of the
experience.</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">Before I start
though, I want to say that I chose to have a natural birth. It was a very personal
decision, one that I am happy that I made, but by no means would ever want to push on anyone else.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> My delivery was not easy. I knew my contractions would be difficult, but assumed that I would have some time between them to recuperate. As you will see, my vision of myself relaxing in my candlelit bathtub listening to <a href="http://youtu.be/wo8aSo5Tv1E">Air</a> between contractions did not exactly pan out. I now totally understand and respect the reasons why a woman would chose to or not to have a natural birth.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">At
12:30 am on Tuesday the 31<sup>st</sup> of December (five days before my
due date), Dave and I were watching Riki Lake deliver her second baby in the
movie <i>The Business of Being Born </i> (seriously - this is
not a joke). Something about her birth must have triggered some hormones of my
own, because as I stood up to go to the bathroom, my water broke. Super
excited, we called our doula, Sarah Kaylor, who told me to drink some wine and
go to bed and told Dave that because I am strep B positive, Dave should call
our OB and ask for his advice on what to do next.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Dr.
Mussali, our amazing OB, congratulated Dave and I on the broken bag of waters
and suggested that we call him when contractions start (even if it was in the
middle of the night), otherwise to come into his office the next morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Off
to bed I went. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">In
the morning, I still had not had any regular contractions, so Dave and I took
our time getting ready to go to the clinic: we showered, packed our bags, and
ate a nice breakfast. While not happy about it, we assumed that because
of my strep B, we would have to be admitted and induced so that I would deliver
in the Mt. Sinai required 24 hours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">My
contractions started in earnest when I arrived at the clinic at around 10:30. I lay on my side in the doctor’s office with a
super-tight fetal heart rate monitor on, having a contraction as Dr. Mussali
told me that I was 2cm dilated, and that I should go for a walk in central park
to get my labor moving, and come back to his office to get checked out again
later at around 1pm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">I
remember distinctly thinking these three things:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2cm?!!! WTF. I am
never going to make it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Walk in Central
Park? Is he crazy? I can barely move right now.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If I have to put this
fetal heart rate band on one more time, I am not going to make it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">On
the way to the car, Dave and I decided that we would head to his parents place
in the Upper West Side. Sometime earlier in my pregnancy, we had agreed
with his parents that we would do this and that they would head over to our
place in Brooklyn and essentially get the house ready for us. Unfortunately, we
made this agreement under the assumption that I was going to deliver on or
after my due date and the holidays, and not on his mother’s birthday / New
Year’s Eve / while Dave’s brother and his fiancé were visiting from out of
town.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-color: white;">So,
while my in-laws sat biting their fingernails on the other side</span><span style="background-color: white;"> of the wall,
Dave and I set up shop in is parents’ not-as-big-as-I-remember-it bathroom, and
waited for our doula, Sarah, to arrive. Note: I do not recommend this! Knowing
that other people are listening to you making animal sounds on their bathroom
floor is never fun. Though I do think they may have learned a thing or two
about childbirth... <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Very
quickly my contractions went from being 10 minutes apart to being 2 minutes
apart, and Dave had created a little circuit for me: I would spend the first 20
seconds of each contraction sitting on the toilet, then dive on to all fours
with my head resting on the garbage can (in case I barfed, which luckily I did
not), and then he placed a pillow on the floor at behind the garbage can where
I would lie in the fetal position and wait for my next contraction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This
part was really, really hard. Every contraction I was questioning whether or
not I could make it. Breathing really did get me through it, as did Dave.
When Sarah arrived at about 12:45, she listened to exactly one
contraction and was like, “Have you been doing that, you know that thing where
half way through the contraction you start pushing, for long? If so, it’s not
really cool that we stay here.” So Dave called Dr. Mussali and asked him to
meet us at the hospital.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At
around 1:30pm I arrived at the hospital on all fours. Sarah led me in to the
hospital while Dave parked the car. As we walked through the front door,
the security guy at the front rushed over with a wheelchair to help me. Sarah
told him that I would not need the chair, I was fine on all fours, but if I
could please get the emergency elevator that would be very much appreciated.
Clearly, she had done this before. In the labor and delivery ward I was rushed
into the closest room available and strapped to the fetal monitor. After a
whirlwind of fears that there was meconium in my fluid and some hospital staff
being nonplussed that I was strep B positive and arriving so late, the nurse
asked me if I wanted an epidural. The room fell silent. I was supposed to
answer that question?! For myself?! Clearly every fiber of my being wanted that
epidural! Somehow, I managed to squeak out a very doubtful, “No thank you”
before my next contraction came on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Next
the nurse measured my cervix, after the 2cm incident, I did not want to know
how dilated I actually was, but asked that she tell Dave instead. I lasted about 10
seconds before I begged Dave to tell me how dilated I was. Luckily, I was 8cm
and very soon after that I was pushing. Before I started though, Dr. Mussali
asked me again if I would like an epidural, as it would be my last opportunity
to request one. Perhaps sensing my hesitation, he told me that if I wanted a
natural birth, I could have one – I was close and h<o:p></o:p></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">e knew that I could do it.
It was just the vote of confidence that I needed to keep going.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
was surprised by just how hard pushing was. I certainly did not feel that
“close”. In my mind pushing was going to be this fast process where
someone tells me how close I am to meeting my baby and within three pushes he
would be out. In reality I was exhausted and the baby’s head, though visible,
was not moving down very quickly. Nevertheless, with a lot of guidance and instruction
from Sarah, Dr. Mussali and Dave, I delivered at 4:08 pm in, ironically, a
modified <a href="http://scrubsmag.mindovermediallc.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/Happy-Baby-Pose.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">happy-baby yoga pose</span></a>.
Sitting on that bed looking down at this tiny, cone-headed, blue, mucus-covered
baby that has just come out of me was surreal. He was perfect. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">More on our experience as parents later, but one person who needs to be thanked in this story is Ben's uncle Steve, who actually
sat in our car for two whole hours on the Upper West Side while I labored
because we couldn't find parking at Dave's parents place... He even ran out to buy me gatorade! Thanks Steve!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: x-small;">The top four photos are by</span><a href="http://www.levkuperman.com/" style="background-color: white; font-size: small;"> Lev Kuperman Photography</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: x-small;">.</span></span></div>
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Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-24911318052679730842013-08-29T18:36:00.000-04:002014-01-29T20:28:06.541-05:00My sister is talented.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Just sayin'. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGJJZHsWd0vTWaFbg92X3EMRqCISqhVCRWtCLz3B4UUuzfDrvh8XRig9o31AzriUYGjPDomaXAhO2dbBfJR3_8Gn2pjE7w0SWnm1GIrk9PTOwK9P-Q0OHMaFB4qqSfpB0W_N6uSnrOUoH/s1600/cacti.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGJJZHsWd0vTWaFbg92X3EMRqCISqhVCRWtCLz3B4UUuzfDrvh8XRig9o31AzriUYGjPDomaXAhO2dbBfJR3_8Gn2pjE7w0SWnm1GIrk9PTOwK9P-Q0OHMaFB4qqSfpB0W_N6uSnrOUoH/s640/cacti.png" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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I mean.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsV7AQh5cBWnLZDOgw1RYLpcpAgdlqbacnTn8Yz2m-EENdTcXE1_IWV97GRUNHdXMZiXIB4f0_9gr9nqgC41rdqZcP5HLZEbmo3EA7lLZNAAz2h2R9wVzHlCIGtUOqaSoezxtrZFmMo-1o/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsV7AQh5cBWnLZDOgw1RYLpcpAgdlqbacnTn8Yz2m-EENdTcXE1_IWV97GRUNHdXMZiXIB4f0_9gr9nqgC41rdqZcP5HLZEbmo3EA7lLZNAAz2h2R9wVzHlCIGtUOqaSoezxtrZFmMo-1o/s640/photo+4.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Look at the beautiful pottery she makes!<br />
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Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-16818471496570437852013-08-02T07:00:00.000-04:002013-08-03T10:07:27.321-04:00Weekly Reading Recap<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carlos Danger has been quite a part of our lives these days... by<a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2013/07/cover-story-john-cuneo-weiner-carlos-danger.html"> </a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1796770171"></span>John Cuneo for New Yorker.<span id="goog_1796770172"></span></a> We've also done a lot of reading about him, but we'll spare you the details.</td></tr>
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Since reading and sharing articles long and short, for work and for leisure are such a big part of our life, we thought it would be fun to keep a weekly tally of the interesting things that we are reading each week.</div>
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<b>Books:</b> </div>
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I just finished reading "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-History-Love-Nicole-Krauss/dp/0393328627">The History of Love</a>" by Nicole Krauss, a beautiful, if at times hard to follow combination of stories: one about Leo, an old man who lost his love and the only book he ever wrote in the holocaust, the other about a teenage girl Alma, named after the main character Leo's book who becomes obsessed with finding the real Alma. Next up: a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Visit-Goon-Squad-Jennifer-Egan/dp/0307477479">Visit from the Goon Squad</a>.</div>
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<b>News / non-fiction / blogs:</b><br />
Because of my love of salt, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/15/health/panel-finds-no-benefit-in-sharply-restricting-sodium.html?pagewanted=all">this article</a> from May (which I only got around to reading this week) made me happy. <br />
I can't help but follow the fast food worker strike. <a href="http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/25/fast-food-low-pay/?_r=0">Here's</a> Mark Bittman on the topic and <a href="http://bittman.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/26/fast-food-labor-links/?ref=markbittman">here</a> is his own food labor reading list.<br />
<a href="http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com/2013/07/13-surprising-things-about-parenting-in.html">This blog entry</a> about two American moms living and parenting in DRC.<br />
<a href="http://www.designsponge.com/2013/07/a-london-home-filled-with-travel-finds.html">This house</a>. And<a href="http://manhattan-nest.com/"> this one</a> as it gets redone.<br />
<a href="http://www.grubstreet.com/2013/07/adam-platt-on-loud-restaurants.html">Adam Platt on why restaurants getting louder and louder</a>. This is particularly interesting to me, as my dad is hard of hearing after working 50 years in a sheet metal shop. We have a really hard time finding a restaurant that is quiet enough for him to be able to hear people speak. I worry about my dad being able to hear, and knowing what loud noises have done to my dad's hearing, I also worry about my own hearing and that of the wait staff. If you don't feel like reading you can listen to Platt on <a href="http://www.wnyc.org/shows/lopate/2013/jul/26/adam-platt-cant-hear-himself-eat/">WNYC</a>.<br />
Thinking about why no economists seem to want to answer the question: <a href="http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2013/07/why-dont-economists-study-haiti-more-2.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+marginalrevolution%2Ffeed+%28Marginal+Revolution%29">Why is Haiti so poor? </a><br />
And on a less serious note, but nearly as important - we have also been leafing through the newest <a href="http://info.ikea-usa.com/refresh#/Refresh/Fruitsofyourlabor/Fruitsofyourlabor">Ikea Catalogue</a><br />
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Dave is reading about <a href="http://nyr.kr/139Bsm5">Operation Easter Egg</a>, <a href="http://nyr.kr/13FLYsI">Sandy reconstruction on the Jersey Shore</a>, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/31/arts/music/musical-nomads-escaping-political-upheaval.html">Malian music seeks refuge at the Lincoln Center</a>.<br />
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Next week we'll try not to be quite so New York-centric. I promise. Maybe Dave won't.</div>
Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-67572224795723896822013-07-31T23:26:00.001-04:002013-07-31T23:26:49.303-04:00Rapid Growth<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJxgphfuGF6fpV0gzukfqQG0tBY5c8C-qI6ohkLhnZvkwolcYIqoEO964HDa6FslqCez_jX-APJHK8FYt87lYqq110W_pc-GE2gvktDscCPJM_U49l5BeJt4WxsybNo4XAFJHTQ-HBjoP/s1600/belly+shots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJxgphfuGF6fpV0gzukfqQG0tBY5c8C-qI6ohkLhnZvkwolcYIqoEO964HDa6FslqCez_jX-APJHK8FYt87lYqq110W_pc-GE2gvktDscCPJM_U49l5BeJt4WxsybNo4XAFJHTQ-HBjoP/s640/belly+shots.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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It has started. People have begun offering me their seats on the subway. It usually happens after I have been on the train for a couple of stops. Sometimes I hear whispering, or consulting with a friend, "I think she might be pregnant. Do you think she's pregnant?" The first time it happened I was totally surprised, a man reached over and touched my arm. I was just about to shoot him the don't-touch-me-you-creep look when I saw him smiling kindly and looking at my midsection.<br />
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For those who have seen me recently, this may come as a surprise. I wasn't that big at all. I am still not big, but definitely a little rounder in the belly. I know this sounds crazy, but its really surprising how quickly I am growing. Every night I lie in bed with my hands on my tummy thinking, "holy cow, its getting bigger!" I know, you are probably thinking, well, duh... But honestly, I didn't anticipate feeling such rapid changes. I am only 17 weeks and I can't even do up my pants.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAoOpNqiACFEedielGPLtAISUfBVSjTPhGnezL5nAcJboZHVUdk-eXu1aIc_gz9P9mPKB3EtOARWtrslzrSjo0A7cW0N_uMaMqZ184u9L_Ny4CtMJGlfyqSqpjq-gKrulvgotcxXSF8ROO/s1600/two+colorful+dresses+ASOS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAoOpNqiACFEedielGPLtAISUfBVSjTPhGnezL5nAcJboZHVUdk-eXu1aIc_gz9P9mPKB3EtOARWtrslzrSjo0A7cW0N_uMaMqZ184u9L_Ny4CtMJGlfyqSqpjq-gKrulvgotcxXSF8ROO/s640/two+colorful+dresses+ASOS.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Which brings me to my next point: maternity clothes are <i>awesome</i>. I honestly wonder why women who aren't pregnant don't wear them all them all the time. Granted, I am an elasto-phobe, and hate wearing anything that is tight around the waist. I also love loose tops and frequently have to undo my pants after a big meal (damn you skinny jeans) so I am all over the idea of a belly band, which basically allows you to pull down your fly and still look presentable in public. I will definitely be wearing these long after the baby is born...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZw4N54GCcHOlElkIjMMVAM0BZuM7iwBgFh7TOdV01M8NTmSVOMxcUCRduNDvZhiQLpL17N92urkVayB-m4cnJeMCbaGC5QDpYqkYowv0DGxfK0j4URWAylkKp6kmJjN5HJY6MI7wzVJH1/s1600/belly+bands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZw4N54GCcHOlElkIjMMVAM0BZuM7iwBgFh7TOdV01M8NTmSVOMxcUCRduNDvZhiQLpL17N92urkVayB-m4cnJeMCbaGC5QDpYqkYowv0DGxfK0j4URWAylkKp6kmJjN5HJY6MI7wzVJH1/s400/belly+bands.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The two dresses at the top are from <a href="http://www.asos.com/Women/Maternity/Cat/pgecategory.aspx?cid=5813">Asos Maternity</a>. The tops and belly bands are from <a href="http://us.topshop.com/en/tsus/category/clothing-70483/maternity-70511">TopShop Maternity</a>.</div>
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Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-16344621288396221272013-07-28T23:15:00.000-04:002013-07-29T09:10:25.218-04:00Fire Island Will Never Get Old<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue skies on the ferry ride.</td></tr>
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When I tell my kids about Fire Island, NY, I'll tell them it's a magical place that can only be accessed by boat, where there are no cars, and where dogs, babies, and deer run free. And I will be telling the truth.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6ZDDBX6CAn0/UfXLKjT0sDI/AAAAAAAAUNc/0yL0jr37CUI/s1600/P1020695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6ZDDBX6CAn0/UfXLKjT0sDI/AAAAAAAAUNc/0yL0jr37CUI/s640/P1020695.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqc_fSoRRp67mXPaommwRX0mHl8j25lTrkSFlct3713o8dcmF9H-dm1vnk0uXM0VHiUJkl6L-Fzs1zMA7pjl9PdRfM8-02Z_oH37e_e_RuoxkySr3HcGIaG8YOIWZdhZSTkJNuWr51TlN6/s1600/P1020702.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqc_fSoRRp67mXPaommwRX0mHl8j25lTrkSFlct3713o8dcmF9H-dm1vnk0uXM0VHiUJkl6L-Fzs1zMA7pjl9PdRfM8-02Z_oH37e_e_RuoxkySr3HcGIaG8YOIWZdhZSTkJNuWr51TlN6/s640/P1020702.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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There are few places that I can think of that are quite as relaxing as Fire Island. Dave and I have been trying to pin point just why that is - most people have wifi and you can check your cell phone on the beach, so its not like you are completely disconnecting from the world - but there is something about the pace at which one moves while in Fire Island that instantly slows your heart rate. As previously stated, there are no cars on the island, except for maintenance and emergencies, so the main modes of transportation are bikes and two-feet-and-a-heartbeat. The island is about the width of a long New York City block, and after your swim, you can stroll across it barefoot in less then three minutes. The beaches rarely get crowded, so there seems to be little incentive to rush anywhere. Even the (mostly) modest beach houses on the island seem to be telling you to just chill out for a minute. </div>
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Being in good company definitely helps too. This is the second year that we have had the good fortune of staying with friends in Fire Island. Last year we stayed at Todd and Margaret Muhlfelder's house, this year at Jesse and Pam Ellis's. Like last year, the six of us spent most of our weekend together, playing with kids and dogs on the beach by day and eating good food at night. A routine I am pretty sure I will never get tired of.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left: Dave, Jesse, Pam. Dogs: Saydie (ours, black fur), Elvis (Pam and Jesse's dog, white fur)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saydie. I couldn't help myself.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1TenG3utzpBtxCviIyLqweuIVRzyTI3fFho_KZ641yn75UMdf7yjfLgt4IZiGOMCcYdDYBupK8O-p5m8r2ILrWi0h1RF6KDrWu4FQBi9xvyohssaXx32gltiRYOCptEl2E-I1CZPsw-y/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1TenG3utzpBtxCviIyLqweuIVRzyTI3fFho_KZ641yn75UMdf7yjfLgt4IZiGOMCcYdDYBupK8O-p5m8r2ILrWi0h1RF6KDrWu4FQBi9xvyohssaXx32gltiRYOCptEl2E-I1CZPsw-y/s640/photo+1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olivia Muhlfelder, 1.5 years old tests the waters, with her family's support. Photo by Pamela Ellis.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0xI_0dDWfQU/UfXLAME6ldI/AAAAAAAAUMg/CbWS-j-7go0/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0xI_0dDWfQU/UfXLAME6ldI/AAAAAAAAUMg/CbWS-j-7go0/s640/photo+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> How cute is that? Photo by Pamela Ellis.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dDpg6dn4joY/UfXK9z5TVPI/AAAAAAAAUMI/wvN-jiANdHM/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dDpg6dn4joY/UfXK9z5TVPI/AAAAAAAAUMI/wvN-jiANdHM/s640/photo+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dave, Todd and Olivia. Photo by Pamela Ellis.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G-paDvZ75CQ/UfXK-umTqDI/AAAAAAAAUMQ/zJg3oCUkNWk/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G-paDvZ75CQ/UfXK-umTqDI/AAAAAAAAUMQ/zJg3oCUkNWk/s640/photo+1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elvis Ellis trying to chase Saydie down. Photo by Pamela Ellis.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hqZQgyXQVoY/UfXLCXN9e2I/AAAAAAAAUM4/S7u4tOgMNbw/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hqZQgyXQVoY/UfXLCXN9e2I/AAAAAAAAUM4/S7u4tOgMNbw/s640/photo+3.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Saydie hangin with her old pal Milo (Todd and Margaret's dog) after a long day of playing.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://distilleryimage4.s3.amazonaws.com/e6255c38e81b11e1ab431231380fbe1d_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://distilleryimage4.s3.amazonaws.com/e6255c38e81b11e1ab431231380fbe1d_7.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An Instagram photo from last year's trip: A deer and I check each other out on my trip to the market.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A0e1WrYKgkk/UfXLBSgxANI/AAAAAAAAUMs/LXFtup6F5T0/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A0e1WrYKgkk/UfXLBSgxANI/AAAAAAAAUMs/LXFtup6F5T0/s640/photo+4.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fire Island Sunset. Photo by Pamela Ellis.<br />
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Also: check out this short <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23425906">BBC clip on architecture in Fire Island</a> that just came out this past week. Thanks for sharing Andrew!</div>
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02579614089066630277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-4358778193870033612013-07-23T19:25:00.002-04:002013-07-23T20:53:41.989-04:00House update!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MvLE9puBlow/Ue1HRrN6DBI/AAAAAAAAULQ/1VpwnDPFw_g/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MvLE9puBlow/Ue1HRrN6DBI/AAAAAAAAULQ/1VpwnDPFw_g/s640/photo+1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This will be the family room but is currently our art storage room.</td></tr>
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I'm interrupting the tomato series to show you how the house is coming along. I haven't posted about the house in a long time because, well, it didn't look that great. There are only so many times that you can post pictures of dust, plaster and floors covered in cardboard boxes.<br />
<br />
After the hardwood floors went in, despite the fact that the baby room/ workshop is still a disaster and the second bathroom is nowhere near done, we decided that it was time to clean up and start moving in. Dave and I spent the better part of Sunday removing the cardboard that was covering the floors, dusting, vacuuming, and unpacking our artwork and furniture. Here is what the place looks like now. Not bad eh?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--1VjCkF7oVg/Uey0MfSQVwI/AAAAAAAAUKU/OK4tcrthCOw/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--1VjCkF7oVg/Uey0MfSQVwI/AAAAAAAAUKU/OK4tcrthCOw/s640/photo+1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This will be our bedroom, but don't look too closely at the blinds! They are temporary and more than slightly crooked.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iHW840ZAfno/Uey0NgXwklI/AAAAAAAAUKc/WfJVGPkLFvc/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iHW840ZAfno/Uey0NgXwklI/AAAAAAAAUKc/WfJVGPkLFvc/s640/photo+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I can't show a bedroom pic without showing the fireplace.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1Cf0cL42wuU/Uey0OVq7-7I/AAAAAAAAUKk/fjf2jL9l1BA/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1Cf0cL42wuU/Uey0OVq7-7I/AAAAAAAAUKk/fjf2jL9l1BA/s640/photo+3.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main bathroom which still needs a good cleaning, not to mention mirrors.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UxD1Xnig7v4/Ue1HQHuDEII/AAAAAAAAULE/Y4v5y1W8sIE/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UxD1Xnig7v4/Ue1HQHuDEII/AAAAAAAAULE/Y4v5y1W8sIE/s640/photo+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the view of what will be the dining room and kitchen. Ignore the mess! On Sunday morning it was just a dusty pile of boxes.<br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">To end a long day of work we decided to go on a date! We hope on our bikes and rode to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/22/dining/reviews/hungry-city-bunker-in-ridgewood-queens.html?_r=0">Bunker </a>restaurant in Queens. The food was delicious. I have to say though, my favorite part of the night was the bike ride through Bed-Stuy, Bushwick and Ridgewood, Queens. I hate to admit that I rarely see these parts of the city, it was wonderful riding through neighborhoods with driveways in front of every house, with beautiful views overlooking the city in Queens; industrial neighborhoods peppered with hipsters, trendy restaurants and huge immigrant families enjoying the evening on their stoops in Bushwick; and streets where literally every fire hydrant was spraying water to cool things down in Bed Stuy.</span></div>
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Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-18635552538640231382013-07-22T07:00:00.000-04:002013-07-22T07:00:11.027-04:00Catalan Bread with Tomato<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY4NRnOIn1HH7-PkVxFuUSSSIXxYxdydbcYwzv53bx3KYd3WeGBRKE47exkb5hnvpE_zCz4KEDRjefm9-xm-rdqYR_fxN5Qb9tTgHu9JN7rpAHk6AoojH3Wfb_sPyJZ30JxXu1f4HdZJcR/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY4NRnOIn1HH7-PkVxFuUSSSIXxYxdydbcYwzv53bx3KYd3WeGBRKE47exkb5hnvpE_zCz4KEDRjefm9-xm-rdqYR_fxN5Qb9tTgHu9JN7rpAHk6AoojH3Wfb_sPyJZ30JxXu1f4HdZJcR/s640/photo+4.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What it should look like (imagine the grill marks)</td></tr>
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I first learned this recipe when I was in Chad, working with MSF (Doctors Without Borders) Spain. It makes for a really tasty vessel for other Spanish goodies like Manchego cheese, Iberico ham and chorizo. First I will tell you the real way to make it (or at least the most real way that I know) and then I'll tell you the way that I usually make it.<div>
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<div>
<b>Catalan bread with tomato (Pa amb tomaquet) - the real way:</b></div>
<div>
- a nice bread like a baguette or thick country bread. If using baguette, cut down the center length-wise and then section in to ~4" pieces, if using a country bread or other loaf, cut into thick slices</div>
<div>
-garlic cloves cut in half (roughly 2 per loaf so adjust according to the amount of bread that you have)</div>
<div>
-3-4 ripe tomatoes, halved</div>
<div>
-extra virgin olive oil</div>
<div>
-coarse salt</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VvYGOWi0PP0/UeyxdqVh22I/AAAAAAAAUJ0/pY2ggKwFtik/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VvYGOWi0PP0/UeyxdqVh22I/AAAAAAAAUJ0/pY2ggKwFtik/s640/photo+3.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How its done...</td></tr>
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<div>
<b>Directions:</b></div>
<div>
-When done properly, bread is cooked over a grill, either gas or charcoal, the bread is done cooking when grill marks appear or when the bread is slightly charred. It can also be cooked in the oven.</div>
<div>
-Remove the bread from the heat and immediately rub the top sides of the bread with the cut side of the garlic clove, then rub each slice of bread with the cut side of the tomato. This step is really like crushing the tomato into the bread so all the juices come out.</div>
<div>
-discard the tomato shells (this is all that should be left of them at this point)</div>
<div>
-drizzle olive oil over the bread, season with coarse salt</div>
<div>
-serve with iberico ham, Spanish chorizo, manchego cheese or olives.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_kST4ei5LAweGF3qqCm5emGnBfnOZuupH8AuACbmxdarUIRP6GB-XlrJ5OiELuqP9sUsci6UTkICKKVISiC4htlZDGw9_8EkimG4cjXY5cN8-wV-VxLv7zqPMhshAidTRv7Eoth4V7KRJ/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_kST4ei5LAweGF3qqCm5emGnBfnOZuupH8AuACbmxdarUIRP6GB-XlrJ5OiELuqP9sUsci6UTkICKKVISiC4htlZDGw9_8EkimG4cjXY5cN8-wV-VxLv7zqPMhshAidTRv7Eoth4V7KRJ/s640/photo+5.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How I eat it...</td></tr>
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<div>
I usually wind up making this for myself when I have nothing in the fridge but cheese and happen to have some tomatoes lying around. I do more or less the same thing, but will often cook my bread in the toaster and omit the garlic (this is pure laziness, I almost always have garlic around). I also usually cannot bear to get rid of the tomato shells, so I eat them - unless they were overripe, as this is also a good way to use overripe tomatoes. Today I had a combination of ripe and overripe tomatoes and even went so far as to add sliced tomatoes to my bread after having crushed the overripe ones. I usually partner the tomato bread with whatever nice cheese I have around.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
I worked with MSF Spain in Chad, Niger, South Sudan and Ethiopia, where it was rare to find all of the above ingredients together at any given time. I learned that the key ingredients here are really the olive oil and the bread. Bread, olive oil, and cheese? Delicious. Bread, olive oil, and chorizo? Awesome. Bread, olive oil, and garlic? Also great. Heck, bread and straight olive oil? Perfect.</div>
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Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-26921538502568162122013-07-21T07:00:00.000-04:002013-07-21T23:26:32.955-04:00Spaghetti with Roasted Tomatoes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://therainykitchen.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/spaghetti-with-heirloom-tomatoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://therainykitchen.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/spaghetti-with-heirloom-tomatoes.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is a great recipe that I turn to whenever I have extra tomatoes kicking around, but it's good enough to go out an buy fresh tomatoes for. Its not so much a recipe as a list of things that go well together, and it's really easy to adapt. Things like capers and roasted or sauteed onions also make great additions.</div>
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<b>Ingredients</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Spaghetti fresh is best but use what you have around.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Tomatoes - I think cherry or small tomatoes are best for
this, but if you have some larger tomatoes that you need to get rid of, go for
it, but I would probably cut them into quarters thick slices<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As much as garlic as you like – thinly sliced, I would
probably use 6 cloves for 1 box of pasta. Some people prefer it smashed or
grated.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3 tablespoons nice extra virgin olive oil, plus more for
serving<o:p></o:p></div>
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Salt and fresh ground black pepper<o:p></o:p></div>
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Whatever fresh herbs you have like basil or chives (or
both!)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Shaved Parmesan, for serving <o:p></o:p>(if you don't have Parmesan, feta is also great)</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Directions</b></div>
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Heat oven to ~400° F.<br />
Start cooking your pasta.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Toss the tomatoes and
garlic in some olive oil (enough to cover) and salt and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Roast the tomatoes, tossing once, until they begin to burst,
20 to 25 minutes. If you are cooking larger tomatoes wait until they are shriveled, oozing juice and starting to turn gold / brown.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Toss the pasta with the tomatoes and herbs, adding enough
oil to make the mixture moist<o:p></o:p></div>
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Serve with Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste <o:p></o:p></div>
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Image from the <a href="http://therainykitchen.com/category/pasta/">Rainy Kitchen</a></div>
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Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-76643199038335814392013-07-20T07:00:00.000-04:002013-07-20T07:00:08.765-04:00Open Faced Tomato Sandwich on a Montreal Bagel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-0VFbAzD1p9eUQsWWq9JuHVXLNrccVvgO-DweCa3t5BP8NVraqgnZO3L-gfemwcaUXYqkvqrThokz-uPKKiitZpzqy5T5oGcr_VyeOfReMJD3b2CoCEZgvw17RvjWd3t6FEPOwE4wZY8/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-0VFbAzD1p9eUQsWWq9JuHVXLNrccVvgO-DweCa3t5BP8NVraqgnZO3L-gfemwcaUXYqkvqrThokz-uPKKiitZpzqy5T5oGcr_VyeOfReMJD3b2CoCEZgvw17RvjWd3t6FEPOwE4wZY8/s640/photo+4.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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If I had to eat one meal every single day for the rest of my life, this would be it. While some prefer this in regular sandwich form, I like to maximize tomato intake by eating it open faced.<br />
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Here are the basic ingredients:<br />
- The best, freshest tomatoes that you can find. In the summer there are many to choose from at your local farmer's market, in the off season cherry tomatoes or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumato">Kumato</a> tomatoes will have the best flavor.<br />
- Hellman's regular mayonnaise, seriously, it has to be Hellman's, full-fat, no-frills mayo.<br />
-The best bread you can find, toasted. Some prefer country bread or white bread, but for me nothing will ever beat a fresh Montreal bagel.<br />
-Fresh ground pepper<br />
-Salt<br />
<br />
Instructions: toast your bagel, spread mayo, add sliced tomatoes, season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-ND89sN-r4J9OFZKfK9lHpM4AtWya_jNiBll0k6cQVhdR7xbo6tuouhFYWlCFviZCYgTz1jOun9oZBQHNowpFR9fb9w5xqDMWDjgHxYz9IR4Qvj63fPGLPzcneY6jNXE7rBT7w4JVMBI/s1600/photo+2+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-ND89sN-r4J9OFZKfK9lHpM4AtWya_jNiBll0k6cQVhdR7xbo6tuouhFYWlCFviZCYgTz1jOun9oZBQHNowpFR9fb9w5xqDMWDjgHxYz9IR4Qvj63fPGLPzcneY6jNXE7rBT7w4JVMBI/s640/photo+2+%25281%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here is another tasty tomato sandwich that Dave and I made this morning with an avocado that needed to be eaten: we took our toasted Montreal bagel and drizzled olive oil over it. In a separate bowl we took one avocado, mashed it with a fork, added fresh lime juice, chili flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. We then spread the avocado over the bagels, added our fresh tomatoes just like the recipe above, and added more salt and pepper to taste. One avocado made for two Montreal bagels worth of spread but could potentially be spread out to cover three...<br />
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Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046912547164415050.post-6919355360604259622013-07-19T13:51:00.000-04:002013-07-19T23:00:16.132-04:00Going Tomatotarian<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://kaufmann-mercantile.com/images/heirloom-tomato-531x500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="http://kaufmann-mercantile.com/images/heirloom-tomato-531x500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Guys. I love tomatoes. A lot.<br />
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This time of year I basically boycott any meal that does not include tomatoes. So I am going to indulge myself and write a series of blog posts purely about tomatoes. I will start with one of my favorite tomato recipe (if you can call it a recipe) and how to treat your tomatoes with the respect that they deserve.<br />
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<b>How to keep tomatoes</b><br />
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My heart breaks a little every time I see a beautiful tomato in the refrigerator. Here's the deal: according to the USDA's agricultural research service, keeping tomatoes at a temperature lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit (the average fridge is about 35 degrees) results in measurably lower aroma volatiles. These aroma volatiles are primarily responsible for our sense of taste, so when we refrigerate tomatoes we are inadvertently making them lose flavor. <br />
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Refrigerating tomatoes also damages the cell membranes, which leads to the tomatoes having a mealy texture, similar to what we see in tomatoes at the grocery store in January.<br />
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<b>When it is okay to refrigerate tomatoes</b><br />
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I won't lie: sometimes I get a little overzealous with my tomato purchases. If I am not able to eat tomatoes while they are ripe, I do refrigerate them, but the key is that after that point I won't eat them fresh. Later this week I will post a delicious recipe for spaghetti with roasted tomatoes that is my go to whenever I want to use refrigerated tomatoes.<br />
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<b>The simplest, easiest and most delicious tomato 'salad'</b><br />
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Can you really call something a recipe when its only ingredients are tomatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper? That is all that is required here. Just take some fresh tomatoes - local are usually best and freshest - heirlooms from your local farmers market, Jersey tomatoes or delicious pink Quebec tomatoes. Slice them (see above), drizzle with a nice olive oil, and add ground pepper and coarse salt. This takes about 2 minutes to make and is a perfect side dish for any summer meal. Of course you can always add basil or chopped red onion or fresh mozzarella cheese, all of which will be tasty, but you don't need to.<br />
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<b>Coming up soon:</b><br />
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The best tomato sandwich<br />
Spaghetti with roasted tomatoes<br />
Tomato and grilled corn salad<br />
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Cateehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043356430253938323noreply@blogger.com0