Boobiphobic

I was led to this article via the lovely Petunia and my heart simply broke. So in response, I started a this flickr pool. Please feel free to post your own gorgeous breastfeeding photos!

"Because whatever the consequences,
people, standing side by side, have expressed who they
really are, and that ultimately they believe in the
love of the world and each other enough to be
that—which is the foundation of activism.” ~ Alice Walker

Smoke Signals & Distant Drumming

Satchel is cutting two molars which explains our difficulty.
After he fell asleep, I crept out to the sofa to watch an episode of Grey's Anatomy. I soon realized that the entire premise of the show is about infidelity. All other scenes are purely incidental. Dr. Shepherd cheated on his wife with Dr. Grey. Dr. Shepherds' wife (also a doctor) cheated on him with another surgeon. The chief of surgery cheated on his wife with Dr. Grey's mother (a former doctor) and if that isn't enough, Dr. Stevens is cheating on her boyfriend with Dr. Karev. Yeesh! Now I remember why I don't watch much tv.

A cool breeze blew through the window carrying with it an earthy scent and the chirping of crickets and lured me towards the window to breathe in the last bits of summer. Still no fireflies. My mind drifts to earlier in the day when Satch and I discovered that some of our sunflowers were pillaged the night before by some critter, the stalks laying on the sidewalk, stripped bare. The survivors are in bloom and stand proudly over 6 feet tall. Before I returned to bed two more thoughts crossed my mind:

1. I would like to begin interviewing other mamas and post the interview on the first monday of each month.
2. I would like to have some sort of gathering of all the women I want to meet like the lovables in my side bar.

So, I'm sending these thoughts to you, my tribe....smoke signals of sort that I hope will be returned by the sound of distant drumming!

A Poem On My Heart

"Your eyelashes will write a poem on my heart" - Rumi

Yesterday afternoon was a bit rocky. I should have guessed by the morning clinginess...your little fists tugging my pajamas. It was nearly noon before I was able to shower. While I sorted your out-grown clothing (a pile for the rescue mission and a pile for a single mom who will be induced Wednesday morning), you did some sorting of your own...removing all the clothing from the storage bin and putting some back. When you seemed bored with your toys and books, I brought out some plastic mixing bowls and spoons. When stacking and mixing lost it's magic, colorful pieces of yarn did the trick.

I saw signs of fatigue...eye rubbing and frustration so I carried you to bed to nurse and nap. That's when our day took a downward spiral. You protested, cried and tossed yourself off the bed (landing on a pillow). You refused to nurse, refused to sleep. I gave in and we went to the living room to play some more, but nothing seemed to please you because what you really needed was a nap. I looked for your stroller and realized that your dad forgot to take it out of the trunk. I called him (while you cried in the background) and told him that I had a tired and upset little boy...and my "back-up nap" was in the trunk of the car. He said he would leave work early and take you for a nap drive. You slept for 30 minutes. I had an hour to de-stress.
When you returned, we had dinner...organic scrambled eggs, spinach latkes, and fruit - quick and easy! (The recipe is below, but to remedy the sour afternoon, these did the trick!!!) We went to bed at 8pm and you slept better than you had the last week. You woke to nurse at 12am, 2am, 5 am and finally at 6am with a smile and a giggle.

This morning you are too charming for words.

Spinach Latkes (and Spinach Tartlettes)

2 10 oz packages of frozen chopped spinach
2 cups grated potato (left over mashed works too)
1-2 onions finely chopped
6 eggs beaten
1/2 - 3/4 c of melted butter
1 c grated parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp garlic salt (or 2 cloves garlic minced and 1 tsp sea salt)
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t black pepper

Thaw spinach and squeeze out excess water. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Form mixture into small patties. Place on greased baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes until golden. (If I have any left over mozzarella, I throw that in too) Makes several dozen. *Patties can be frozen and baked later.

*For a funky twist, I call "Spinach Tartlettes" substitute the potato with 2 c herbed stuffing mix!

Namaste

We took Satch to the local zoo yesterday and had a wonderful encounter with some penguins, an elephant (named Siri) and an adorable little girl. I have mixed feelings about zoos so I greeted my fellow creatures with a silent, "Namaste".














"I greet that place where you and I are one"









"I bow to the divine in you"














"The spirit in me honors the spirit in you"

A New Look

I created a new banner for the blog and would like to know what you think. (It was an html nightmare!) The photo was taken right after Satch was born. I can't believe how fast he's grown! Sometimes I wish I could slow down time...

Do you like the new banner on Mother Rising? Yes, I love the new look! No, I liked the old look better! Free polls from Pollhost.com

Tantrums

Well....It's begun. Tantrums!

The one pictured here is because I wouldn't let him play with the camera. I let Satch explore almost anything providing it can't hurt him a/o it's not too costly to replace.

Momma Zen

There are so many wonderful things to say about Momma Zen, I could fill an entire blog. I dogeared the pages that I wanted to refer back to and discovered that there are enough pearls of wisdom to string a necklace. Therefore, I decided to let you find your own pearls. The delight in having discovered something is much more magical than having it handed to you.

(If you want clues, however, the author cleverly includes a treasure map on page 171.)

At the end of the first chapter the author writes, "These words thus flow from my heart to yours, from one other mother to one other mother or mother-to-be. I know. I understand. Me too."

And she does know!

Momma Zen touched me deeply. I laughed and I cried and experienced moments of realization so profound that I heard myself exclaim, "YES!" When I closed the book I felt at one with motherhood, at one with my baby, at one with my self.

I felt present.

I felt...at peace.

Momma Zen is not a parenting book. It is a book about motherhood and spiritual lessons woven in moments. It's a book about being a mother. It's a book about being.

(I have no doubt that I will be quoting Karen Maezen Miller time and again on this blog.)

Thank you to Karen, for writing this jewel.
Thank you to Satchel, for being my teacher.

Goodly Goodliness

Robert and I have our own words for things...one of which is goodly or goodliness. We use these terms for any thing or event that is overwhelmingly good!

It's true that I have aversion to wallpaper, but this paper by artists Wood & Taylor looks like such fun. One day, I would love to paper a small play cubby for Satch with this stuff. He could paste photos in the frames, color, paint, collage...it's endless fun!

Oh! I got a sneak peek at Abby Cadabby. She's adorable and I must get the new vcr hooked up before the new season starts. I'm happy to report that Abby will be played by a female puppeteer... the talented Leslie Carrara-Rudolph of "Muppets Tonight" fame! (Sesame Street puppeteers have always been a male dominated crew which really ruffles my feminist feathers. This season's crew is 10 M to 3 F)







For those of you just tuning in to this blog and haven't a clue who Abby is, click here. She's SO magic!

A Rant, a Rave and a Recipe

Can someone please explain to me what is going on? Has the world gone crazy? A couple of weeks ago, my kindred mama Pixie emailed me about a new baby gadget, "The Baby Chair Bottle Support Feeding Device". We both had the same knee jerk reaction to the press release. Although I can see how this may be useful in the case of multiples, I am heartbroken at the thought of wee babes being fed in a chair rather than in the arms of a loving mother or father (or human).

Just when I had rid my mind of it (inhale positive thoughts, exhale negative thoughts), I stumbled upon THIS hideous creation! Babies love to be held...this is a part of nurturing and we know this. Our duty as parents is to love and nurture our children. Why then are people inventing devices to separate us from our natural role as parents, detach us from our children?!?!

They grow up so fast, hold your babies while you can and savor those moments. Before long, they are off and running.....

On a more positive note: The brilliant and beautiful Joan Armatrading just finished recording her new album on July 31st. Release date and 2007 tour to be announced! (The last time we saw her live was in Brooklyn in the summer of 2003...I look forward to seeing her again and dance with my baby!) And the very talented Dan Bern will be releasing his new album entitled, "Breathe" on September 19th! (I just adore him)

Last night I made Tofu Masala for dinner. Satchel loves Indian food as much as we do. I was trying to decide what to do with the fresh mint that my neighbor brought over when suddenly Cucumber Raita came to mind and whenever I think of Raita, I think of Tofu Masala:

• 1/2 block of extra firm tofu (freeze & squeeze: freeze the night before, thaw, and squeeze out the water) cut into small cubes
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 1 small clove garlic minced
• 3/4 cup peas
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 1/8 tsp tumeric
  
• 1/8 tsp chili powder
• dash of sea salt
• 4 Tbsp of veg stock (or water will do in a pinch)
• 1 Tbsp of tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp plain yogurt
• 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro finely chopped
• olive oil
  
• Basmati Rice

Start preparing the rice according to directions on package. *I cook the rice in vegetable stock for extra flavor and nutrition. I also add a pinch of saffron and a dried clove. Saute onions in olive oil until clear. Add garlic, tofu, peas, dry spices and stir until well coated. Add remaining ingredients and turn heat down to low until the rice is ready. Serve with side of rice, some warm pita and cool, refreshing Cucumber Raita. (This is the mild version as my son eats it with us, for more zing just go double on the spice. Also, this recipe is just enough for 2 adults and a babe...there won't be any left-overs.)

There are lots of ways to make cucumber raita, but here's a recipe that is close to authentic and exactly like my own recipe (sans the black pepper), though sometimes I like to add garlic and onion.

*Please note that husband claims he doesn't like tofu, but he inhales this dish! My husband is a man of contradiction. He will not use a garden hoe for fear of hurting some earthworms, yet has no problem ordering General Tso's Chicken for dinner! (He respects my vegetarian life style and only eats meat when we eat/take out)