Strangely enough, I’ve done more biking in the past 3 1/2 weeks (late December and early January), than in all of September, October, and November combined. The rides themselves have been relatively short (3-4 miles), running errands here and there, but just getting out somewhat regularly feels great.
On Saturday morning, I ran a couple of errands by car, due to some remaining ice from the mid-week snow. Once off of our tiny street, I realized conditions were bikeable. When I arrived at the library and found no [car] parking spaces, I really wished I’d chosen two wheels instead of four — lesson learned!
While out and about, I stopped by the winter farmers’ market. Some beautiful cabbage, along with a few bags of frozen green bell peppers, a couple of fresh sweet red peppers, and a few pears made the trip well worth it. I bought enough cabbage that we might do a new round of sauerkraut, though we’ve really been enjoying the cabbage cooked in various ways, and I want to get around to making a slaw/salad with some of it. Cold weather cabbage tastes so sweet and delicious!
Speaking of sauerkraut, and deliciousness, we made reubens over the weekend — so messy and so good! The kitchen’s been a busy place lately, and I have a couple of fun new recipes to share soon, one for a nice, warm soup and the other for an amazing bread — very high quality bike fuel 🙂
Parting shot
I plan to eventually post the entire birth story here (or at least an abridged version, as it was quite the saga), but for now, you’ll have to accept bits and pieces, in no particular order. The end is a decent place to start.
Under the knife
Two weeks ago today I underwent major surgery . . . for a tummy tuck and a boob job. Okay, not exactly, but it kind of looks like it. Here’s what really happened . . . .
Bicycle dreams
I continued processing the idea, and a few moments later, reality cut through the sleep-deprivation and Percocet-induced haze, and I thought to myself, “Self, you just had major abdominal surgery three days ago, I don’t really think you’ll be riding your bicycle anytime soon.”
A slow return to active transportation
Thursday, at six-and-a-half weeks post-op, I rode my bike for the first time since the surgery. Those weeks of limited mobility gave me time to think about the limits of active transportation.
Psst, psst: The EC update
Reading about Elimination Communication (EC) midway through pregnancy activated my green radar — baby peeing and pooping in the toilet (or in a little potty or other receptacle) equals less dirty diapers to wash. Less washing means less water and energy used — what wasn’t to love. I read Diaper Free Baby by Christine Gross-Loh, and it all seemed pretty straight forward. And then I had a baby . . . .
When baby’s away, Mama plays
My to-do list included picking up a fifty pound bag of whole wheat pastry flour from Local Harvest — not exactly something I could toss in the milk crate on the back of my bike. I was resigned to driving the car for the 1-mile trip when I remembered . . . the new bike trailer!
Blue green mama
Yet, when my blues set in 2-3 weeks postpartum, my initial reaction was denial . . . . Gabriel’s smiles finally snapped me out of my denial. He started smiling around nine weeks, this adorable little grin, yet I found myself so emotionally drained that I often couldn’t return those smiles, and that made me feel even worse.
Two’s company
My rationale going in was, sure, we’re adding an additional person, but a very small person, and we’re committed to minimizing stuff for that person, so it will be no big deal, right? Not exactly.
Pregnancy, international travel, major surgery, and a new baby, all superimposed on the usual topics of biking, food, and gardening. Here’s a look back at 2011.
Already increasing my carbon footprint I mean that in a very loving and motherly way, of course The big changes won’t come for another six months or so . . . .
Little did I know exactly how big those changes would be.
Seed starting: Make a functional, affordable heat box I’ve used this one with great success and reliability for four sets of plants now. We set our thermostat pretty low in the winter, so the heat box helps keep the seeds cozy.
Mama-to-be’s reading list Your Best Birth, by Rikki Lake and Abby Epstein, was the first book I read post finding out that I was pregnant, and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. Even if you are not pregnant, have no plans to become pregnant, and can’t see any way this subject applies to you, I encourage you to read it . . .
Turns out, no amount of reading can prepare you for life with a baby.
Good sauerkraut — make your own
Yesterday, I wrote about my hunt for good sauerkraut and how we ultimately decided to make our own. Fortunately, making sauerkraut is quite simple.
Brine your beans
While I was happy enough with my bean-cooking method (quick soak or an overnight soak, drain and rinse, boil for about an hour), we recently discovered a new method that yields delicious, lightly salted cooked beans, reminiscent of the canned variety in a good way.
Biking with babies
The idea that a young infant could not be safely transported by bicycle, when we give no thought to putting them in cars, seemed quite ludicrous to me, but I couldn’t find much information on safe options.
There’s no place like home
All of the sudden, I look significantly more pregnant. So what changed? Turns out I’m having twins — my regular baby, plus an Italian food baby.
In London, I could count on relatively easy restroom access when out-and-about by ducking into a Starbucks or McDonalds. I became accustomed to walking in, quickly scoping out the place and the most likely restroom location, and making my way there, and back out, without making it too obvious that I wasn’t a paying customer. Italy was trickier on the restroom front.
Eating for two — A vegetarian pregnancy Not having to scramble to make dietary changes when I found out I was pregnant was one nice aspect of having a well-established healthy diet, though I was a little worried for the few weeks where pasta and rice noodles made up the bulk of my diet.
Cycling Savvy Instructor!
Despite the heat and my “delicate condition” , I made it through the Cycling Savvy Instructor training this past weekend! In fact, I didn’t just make it, I had a great time.
Biking with baby — Part II
Comments such as, “If you and your husband want to go for a bike ride, leave your baby with a sitter,” reveal general ignorance about using a bicycle for transportation. What if we want to go to an event in the park WITH the baby? What if I need to pick something up at the grocery store? Am I confined to only using my car for these short, easily bikeable trips for the first 12 months unless I leave baby behind?
As we sat on the couch Saturday night, Matthew mentioned the possibility of rearranging our apartment to make the space a bit more livable for the next few months, until we upgrade to a 2-bedroom. The basic plan involved swapping the sofa and our bed, so we could go to bed at night and have our own schedule, without fear of waking The Dude.
After sleeping on the idea, we woke on Sunday morning, talked it over a bit more, and jumped in to the project. Matthew disassembled the bed, and stood the mattress and platform on their side to make room for the sofa. I moved a few other things, and cleaned some long-unseen areas.
After settling Gabriel in the one clear, out of the way bit of floor, we picked up the sofa and carried it through the kitchen and into the bedroom discovered it wouldn’t fit through the bedroom doorway.Continue reading “Moving day”
Would that be the two bottom teeth? Or the two top teeth? Either way, The Dude has it covered now (photo evidence of the bottom teeth in yesterday’s photo). I’m glad that’s all he wants for Christmas, because that’s all he’s getting, at least from Mommy and Daddy.
I’m definitely a Christmas slacker this year. We don’t have a Christmas tree (no room in the inn!) or any decorations. We do have a few strings of colored LED lights in our front room, but we pretty much leave those up all winter, to combat the dark dreariness, so they don’t count as holiday decorations.
I planned to take a cute picture of The Dude in a Santa hat, and send it out as a Christmas greeting, but we don’t own a Santa hat, and I haven’t gotten around to buying, or, ideally, borrowing, one.
It all feels like just one more thing this year — something for which I have neither the time nor energy. I feel a little guilty, a bit like Scrooge or The Grinch — after all, this is “Baby’s First Christmas,” which only happens once.
The thing is, he will remember absolutely nothing about the holidays this year. And, to be fair, we’ll be spending Christmas at my parents’ house, where we can enjoy their tree and decorations. Plus, the various sets of grandparents will make sure that there are presents under the tree with The Dude’s name on them.
Also, while I can do without the commercialism and consumerism of the holidays, I am excited to experience them through the eyes of a child in the years ahead, so I am NOT a total Grinch. I anticipate celebrations filled with the love, warmth, and family traditions that really make this season special. Until then, I hope The Dude enjoys his two four front teeth 😉
Update: I may not be the first to claim the title, but I dubbed myself the Green Grinch — it has a nice ring to it!
The big changes won’t come for another six months or so . . . .
, I made it through the Cycling Savvy Instructor training this past weekend! In fact, I didn’t just make it, I had a great time.
Her Green Life 