Julian trying to be brown(er)...

So we found this wonderful babysitter that charges us $4 per hour for our date nights (which we totally pay her more, because that is so cheap it must be against the law)....she gets along so well with Julian, it has been great!  Last month, she taped one of their conversations (below).

Before you watch it, I should mention that she is an Indian girl and regularly tries to make Julian laugh by reprimanding him in an Indian accent.  Hilarious.

Winter Ride

Today, we had some glorious sunshine with temps in the 40s (Fahrenheit)...so we went for a "winter" bike ride on the seawall. Everyone was out with their dogs, kids, etc. which is most common once the sun shows itself during the winter. VITAMIN D rocks!


We rented one of those 2-seater kid trailers and it was the perfect solution...


...EXCEPT:
Amélie screamed most of the way (only child that doesn't like motion)
Julian kept saying he was hungry
Julian kept screaming, Stop! Amélie is crying!
I kept screaming, Julian share the Cheerios! Don't step on her feet!


We made it to English Bay and then headed back...


I think we'll be riding during nap time next time!

Camel Milk: A New Alternative Medicine

Last night, I met this amazing woman...Her 3rd child (she has 4) contracted a parasite when he was 19 years old, while traveling. It was confirmed to be a hydro parasite, so it must've happened through drinking water...no one knows.  He was hospitalized and his immune system complete shut down as a result of it. He started becoming allergic to food, one by one...He was only able to sustain himself by having a tablespoon of rice milk a day.  He had lost 45 lbs during his experience. They tried every type of medicine available - both Western & Eastern - and went to the best doctors in Vancouver. No one knew how to stop this parasite from completing taking the functions of his organs away.  She watched her son deteriorate and eventually, he was too weak to walk or talk.

During this time, her husband had to go to Israel. There, he heard of Professor Reuven Yagil, who was researching the benefits of Camel's Milk (it is not distributed in Israel or the Western Hemisphere at this time). Anyway, he spoke to her husband and it seemed that this may be something his son could benefit from. There were MAJOR hurdles getting Camel's Milk to Canada, but finally, the parents got the necessary permit to get it over here for their son.  Actually, each time they needed it over the years, they had to fly to Israel and bring 40 litres over for their supply, but a parent will do anything for their child, right? This is the first time it has ever been allowed in Vancouver - holistic and alternative medical physicians have not been able to get it, even for research.

After 2 days of drinking camel's milk, he walked up the stairs and said, "Mum, I feel good". She nearly fell to the ground and said she would never forget that moment.  Mind you, he was too weak to walk or talk for 6 weeks...after 4 days, he had a banana, and so forth until the foods he was allergic to was reintroduced to his diet.  He drank Camel's milk twice a day and eventually was able to eat normally again. He graduated from Univ of British Columbia not too long ago. His mother wanted to donate a camel to UBC for research, but the Candian government wouldn't allow it.

Anyway, Melvin and I are going to this symposium that is going to be held to talk about the benefits of Camel's Milk (it has been known to cure or help Diabetes, Chrohns, Autism and Allergies) and this Professor from Israel will be speak. Dr. Michael Mandl (one of the best clinical immunologists and allergists in Vancouver) and Dr. Brian Bressler from UBC will also be on the panel.  We need to get this stuff to North America.  It is now being researched in several countries, including the States and farmers are started to test and milk these "one humped" camels...I really believe this will do wonders for the next generation.

Warming Sock Treatment

Julian and Amélie have had a really healthy winter, so I'd really like to keep it that way. Well, this weekend and today, we were exposed to Julian's germ-infested friend from school and so a cough started...Julian has a weak respiratory system, even as an infant, so "the cough" always makes me cringe as I remember trips to the ER for wheezing and so forth.

Our Naturopathic Doctor recommended a Warming Sock Treatment for whenever any congestion or cold symptoms start.  I'm trying it right now and it seems to be working - no cough during his nap yet!  I wanted to share it, as it is natural and a great alternative to meds or nebulizer treatments. Oh, adults can try too :)

Cold Sock Congestion Treatment
(aka Warming Sock Treatment)

The Cold Sock Treatment is a simple hydrotherapy technique that is especially effective for relieving nasal congestion in bed at night (frequently better than medications and without the side effects). It also helps to stimulate the immune system in the upper respiratory tract and is relaxing for aches and chills, and helps bring on a more restful night’s sleep when sick. We find it helpful in such conditions as colds, "flu" (not the "stomach flu"), earaches, sore throats, and sinus infections. It is useful with people of any age from infants to the elderly. The Cold Sock Treatment is especially good to use with the nasal congestion of colds and influenza.


Preparations. In the evening before going to bed, prepare by having a pair of cotton socks and a pair of wool socks. They must be at least 90% cotton and 90% wool, respectively. Most sporting goods stores and some department stores carry wool socks. For small children you can use safety-pins to hold a wool sock on that is too large, or rap wool cloth around each foot.
Step 1. Soak the foot part of the cotton socks in cold tap water and wring them out thoroughly. Place the socks close to the basin or bathtub used in the next step. Note: If your feet are already warm (e.g., you have already been in bed) you can skip to Step 3.
Step 2. Put your feet into a basin or bathtub of hot water to warm up your feet. Soak them for a few minutes until they are hot and pink.
Step 3. Remove your feet from the hot water and quickly dry them off. Immediately put on the cold wet cotton socks, and then over them, put on the dry wool socks.
Step 4. Go directly to bed and keep the feet covered through the night. The therapy does not work if you or your feet are uncovered, such as when walking around or sitting in a chair uncovered.

When the Cold Sock Treatment procedure is followed correctly the feet will start warming up within a few minutes of getting covered in bed. The congestion will usually start to be relieved within 30 minutes. It will often work better than a decongestant or antihistamine to relieve congestion during sleep. In addition, it is not uncommon to see a small child or infant fall immediately to sleep (this is true!) after they are put to bed with the Cold Sock Treatment. After approximately four hours the socks should be totally dry, the feet warm, and the symptoms will be much improved (if not gone).

If necessary, the Cold Sock Treatment can be repeated through the night or used on consecutive nights. In repeating the treatment in the same night or if an illness starts during the night, it is not necessary to warm the feet in hot water since they will already be warm. Simply apply the wrung out cold wet socks and the dry wool socks and go back to bed.

Did you know...

- that Vancouver is a rain forest? Despite it being a "wet" city, it has lower avg. rainfall that Boston, MA...it can get quite gray in the winter though!


- that Vancouver has the mildest climate in all of Canada. It is usually 40 degrees here in the winter, so no, we do not get snow when New York does!


- that the 3 Fairmont Hotels in Vancouver only get their garbage picked up once a week?  Everything else is recycled or reused...amazing!


- that the city of Vancouver is trying to be the greenest city in the world by 2020?


- that all American citizens, even if living abroad, need to file their taxes EVERY YEAR?


- that American citizens get penalized severely (from a tax perspective) if they invest in mutual funds, while living outside the U.S?


- that B.C. is the 3rd largest producer of blueberries in the world?


- that a resident of Vancouver is called a Vancouverite?


- that the city of Vancouver has no highways downtown?


- that Pamela Anderson, Jason Priestley, Nelly Furtado and Michael J. Fox (among many others) are from the Vancouver area?


- that B.C. has a beautiful wine country, known as the "Napa Valley of the North"?

Who is WHO?

Yesterday, I had a mother tell me that the WHO recommends mothers breastfeed for 2 years.

I said, Who??

She said, The World Health Organization.

I wanted to throw up. That is just way too long in my opinion. I also feel it's virtually impossible for American mothers to even come close to this. The maternity leave is so short in the States (they get a YEAR paid in Canada and even more in other countries within Europe), that I cannot imagine it being possible. Actually, it is possible, but the mother would probably just be extremely miserable.

With Julian, I remember pumping in my office, on a teleconference, while writing an email. Talk about multi-tasking, right?...and my manager walks in on me. I was mortified, he was mortified...Needless to stay, I stopped not to long after that.

Just cuz I'm Filipina...

don't mean I'm the nanny!

can't keep up

I've finally recovered from my trip away, although in my typical fashion, my bag is still packed. I used to only unpack when it was time to pack for another one...in this case, that'll be a long while, so I should probably kick that habit soon!


I can't seem to keep up at home this week.


...laundry is piling up again
...toys everywhere
...messages from moms that want to have a play date (while nice, I need a bit of a break)
...kitchen and bathrooms need a cleaning (in the process of finding a cleaner for this task)
...met with our "cross border" accountant...left with a headache
...need to gather tax docs from US/Canada, etc.
...submitting business expenses and still finalizing reimbursements from my old job


Most of all, I cannot keep up with cooking for a family of 4!!  I finally succumbed to buying a slow cooker. Yes, it seems I'm the last one on the planet to have one, but I'm a bit of an old school cook. I like to chop everything by hand, I like to make everything from scratch with fresh this and fresh that, smell, stir and taste as my creation is brewing. 


Well, enough of that crap already...my fam's got to eat and my son and daughter have an appetite like their mama! I found a brand new Salton Multipot Slow Cooker on craigslist yesterday and immediately got it to see if it's something I can use to make my life easier. If anyone out there has any vegetarian or seafood slow cooker recipes, please email me!!

I'm making my first dish today...Vegetables and Halibut in Curry Sauce. Chopped everything up and threw it in there this morning.  The fact I don't have to cook before Julian's swim class this evening is a blissful feeling!! I'll update how it comes out!

United Airlines...

BLOWS!!!  We must all come together and take them down!


LAX is the worse airport on the planet (after Madrid)!


I hate pumping in public bathrooms and conference rooms!


BREEEAAATHE!!!

...this was all made better by...my Jenny McCathy sighting at LAX!!  I'm a HUGE fan!  She cracks me up and I think every pregnant woman on the planet should be required to read Belly Laughs.  I didn't have the balls to tell her though :(

Life on the road..

is not what it used to be.

It's been a full year and a month since I have had to travel for work. While I saw the "shift" back then, I didn't fully recognize it until now. As I sit in the 21st floor of my hotel room in sunny San Diego overlooking the marina and bay, I no longer see what I used to love in traveling for work.

...room service
...first class
...free (and good) food
...reading celebrity mags at the airport
...the quiet time on a plane, where no one can reach me
...exploring a new city by foot
...a break from my daily routine
...uninterrupted sleep


Instead, I find myself...


...annoyed at the long lines at the airport
...embarrassed to be pumping in a public bathroom at the airport
...lifting my heavy bags, that no one helps me with
...walking in heels, when I really want to be in flip flops
...wearing my uncomfortable suit
...laughing at the loud kids next door 
...laughing at the loud parents next door
...wishing my kids were the loud kids

Don't get me wrong, I've been loving the fact that I could eat a meal in peace. I even finished a 344 page library book and slept a straight 7 hours! I would've slept longer if I didn't have to pump! At the end of the day though, I miss the kids (and Melvin) more than anything and realized that while I still love to travel...I'd much rather be traveling with them. While I'm glad I've reached this realization, I'm still going to wallow in every minute of "me" time that I have for the rest of the day. Then, tomorrow morning, I'll welcome that 4:30am cry and gladly run to Amélie's room to feed her.


Absence DOES make the heart grow fonder!

SD

I have my first  post-Amélie business trip (San Diego) and am leaving tomorrow very early. It's an easy peasey luncheon at Roy's Restaurant. What more could I ask for in a contract job?

Even though I spend 24/7 with the kids, the mother's guilt never fails. To compensate, I'm doing as much preparation as I can, so it'll be smooth sailing for Melvin.

Every Ounce of Dirty Laundry: Check
Food in the Fridge: Check
Pumped Breast Milk in Freezer: Check (an absurd amount)
Prepared Foods in the Freezer: Check
Library Books for Julian: Check
Amélie's Nap/Food Schedule for Babysitter: Check

In the meantime, since I haven't been working full-time, I feel "slow". For example, I used to be able to pack in less that 5 minutes, even if it was for a 5 day trip. Not anymore! Also, I'm like, hmm, what do I need? Oh crap, I need MS Office on my laptop!  Melvin is working on that right now :)


Request for Melvin: Try to match the kids' clothes, when going out in public.

Ramen Search

I was a regular at NYC's midtown eastside's Menchanko-tei. It was at a perfect location to meet my friends from my old job.  There's nothing like a hot bowl of Shoyu Ramen to slurp up on a cold winter's day...with just the right amount of Ramen noodles in a hot broth, and of course that sliver of tender pork on top to tease the senses.  Totally got me through my pregnancy!

Well, my craving finally got the best of me, so Melvin and I went on a quest last night to find Vancouver's version of "Menchanko-tei".  Yelp stated that Kintaro was the place to go, so off we went! It was a total dive and...we LOVED it!! 

Menu was rather limited, but you could pick what kind of broth you wanted (Shoyu, Shio, Miso), whether you wanted it rich, medium or light AND you could pick whether you wanted your pork fatty or lean...of course, Melvin went with fatty (and woke up with a massive migraine this morning)!

Noodles: Kintaro
Menu Selection: Menchanko-tei (I like how they let you add fried chicken, fish balls, etc. to your soup)
Broth: Kintaro
Pork: Kintaro (I actually had the Veg version, but Menchanko-tei's pork is half the size)
Atmosphere: Kintaro - totally no frills

Looks like Kintaro wins!  We actually passed about 5 other Ramen dives downtown, so we'll be confirming which Vancouver spot really takes that the Ramen crown!

matt, liz and madeline

I started following this blog: matt, liz and madeline, shortly after Julian was born. It captured my attention immediately since I was a new mom at the time and the story was simply mind-blowing. Despite my tough pregnancy and labor/delivery, the blog gave me perspective and made me realize that I am one of the blessed ones.

Matt is the father, Liz the mother and Madeline, the baby.  Liz was on bed rest for 5 weeks, had low amniotic fluid and then had a c-section. Just as she was getting ready to see and hold Madeline for the first time, she collapsed on the ground as a result of a pulmonary embolism. The doctors weren't able to bring her back...The blog is Matt's story and how he got through this unimaginable situation. 

They seemed like such a wonderful couple and they loved to travel.  He took Madeline to a lot of the places he and Liz went to. One of the blog entries that touched my heart was when he took Madeline to the exact spot in India, where he had proposed to her mother.

It's an amazing story and I was excited to hear of his book coming out in April 2011, called Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss & Love.  I am so excited to read it...I'm sure it'll cleanse my tear ducts thoroughly!

the twins

Yesterday, my friend had to work, so we offered to watch her 3-yr old twins.  Julian had a blast and Amelie knows how to hold her own by now; however, it was madness!  Fun, but very nice to give them back at the end of the day. :)

4 kids = no thank you!

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

They transformed the new Vancouver Convention Centre into Bangalore, India to film Tom Cruise's MI IV. Katie & Suri were shopping at our Chapters Bookstore & Whole Foods...supposedly they are in town until March...hoping for a star sighting!

Brunch

We had 4 families over for brunch today. I thought it'd be nice for Julian to have his friends over, meet some hubbies of the moms I've met, as well as expose Amélie to kids as she's been super attached. I took special care in creating a good, but manageable menu, as 2 of the hubbies are trained chefs (one being the executive chef at the Marriott in Vancouver). It came out pretty well, if I must say, and we had a really nice relaxing, kid-crazy day.

What did I make?
Blueberry French Toast Casserole
Spanish Tortilla with Potato, Onion & Yellow Pepper
Baked Maple Bananas
Pork Sausages
Veggie Pancakes


Tidbit: Don't make sausages for a large group. Messes up your pan and sets off the smoke alarm.


Highlight: Found Julian and his friend Alyssa hiding in his bed...and then later in the bathtub.

The Breakfast Sandwich...and the Bialy

One Bialy with a slice of grilled tomato and melted provolone, please...

That is how I started nearly every morning on my work in NYC...with a fresh squeezed OJ, of course. This lasted nearly 10 years.  It worked out well because I traveled pretty often so when I was away, I'd have other things, like a veggie omelet with a side of salsa. (creature of habit) The provolone has to be melted and PAX used to do a nice job of putting the cheese underneath the broiler for me before placing the tomato on top.

I found a decent breakfast sandwich here, which I get every Tues/Thurs after I walk Julian to school, but does not compare. Anyway, the point of this post is that someone NEEDS to open a Bialy joint in Vancouver ASAP. Man, do I miss that outer crust, chewy middle with a hint of garlic/onion/poppy seeds in the center. By far, beats the bagel a million times over in my opinion.

I don't think greater America even knows what a Bialy is or why it's so wonderful. In fact, I don't think most New Yorkers even appreciate the goodness of a true Bialy. (footnote: while the best bagels are in Rockland County, they have fake Bialys)

See, the reason you won't find a Bialy outside of New York really is for a couple reasons:

1) Only NYC has the real thing.

2) Bialys only have a shelf life of SIX hours. Isn't that fascinating?  Therefore, they can't make them and ship them to places and they need to be eaten that day or thrown out.

Bialy, a Yiddish word short for bialystoker kuchen, from Białystok, a city in Poland, is a small roll that is a traditional dish in Polish Ashkenazi cuisine. A traditional bialy has a diameter of up to 15 cm (6 inches) and is a chewy yeast roll similar to a bagel. Unlike a bagel, which is boiled before baking, a bialy is simply baked, and instead of a hole in the middle it has a depression. Before baking, this depression is filled with diced onions and other ingredients, including (depending on the recipe) garlic, poppy seeds, or bread crumbs.

In 2002, former New York Times food writer Mimi Sheraton wrote a book dedicated to the bialy, called The Bialy Eaters: The Story of a Bread and a Lost World.

Naps

Children's naps are like a parent's enemy and best friend, all at the same time. Why do I think this?

Well, to start, they have been a thorn on my side because you're bound to them if you want to get your child on a schedule. You screw with the nap, you screw with your sleep at night...

Therefore, we've been strict with Julian's naps from day one (mama needs her sleep too!). It worked like a charm and was like clockwork, but meant I couldn't really make plans during nap time or had to work around it, be bound to the house or get a babysitter, etc. etc...Then, Julian turned 3 and all of a sudden, he didn't want to nap.  Goodness, now I have to entertain him for 2-3 more hours of the day??  I think I preferred the thorn!! Boy, did I take it for granted!

The past 2 days, however, Julian (and his sister) have given me 3 blissful hours of afternoon peace. How did I get him to sleep?

Well, on Monday, we watched a 4-D version of Polar Express at the aquarium. Loud surround sound, water splashing in face, chair poking our backs and moving to the motion of the train, the works...Julian thoroughly enjoyed it, but got completely freaked out!  Here was my chance!

Julian, if you don't take a nap, the Polar Express will be coming to take you to the North Pole!

Terrible, but hey, whatever works!

Oh no you didn't!

Today was the last day of the holiday season and everyone is back in the office tomorrow.  It's been great having Melvin home the past couple weeks.  In addition to Pender Island, we went snowboarding at Grouse, visited the aquarium, had our own golf/yoga time, Bright Nights at Stanley Park, checked out some restaurants and had quality time with the kids (and I was able to have some alone time, leaving them with Melvin!).

On New Year's Day, Vancouver had its annual Polar Bear Plunge at English Bay Beach.  Basically, a bunch of crazy people, some wearing costumes, dip into the freezing Pacific Ocean and swim 100-yards.  When I say "a bunch", I mean over 2,300.  It was a clear, sunny day, but cold...and I can't even imagine the water.  Everyone was partying all over the beach and throughout the West End.  

What did I think?  It was like one big frat party.


Last night, we went to this wonderful Malaysian & Thai Restaurant called, Chili Garden. It was quite interesting to hear the table next to us bashing on Americans. It was also very amusing listening to a Canadian Brit speak with a southern twang (they must think we all speak that way?).  Oh no you didn't!

What did we do? Bit our tongues, ate our food, and then discussed it in the car!

Happy New Year!

May everyone's year be filled with love, laughter and fun!

I don't do the resolution thing, but am ready for whatever 2011 brings!  2010 brought me most of life's major challenges, so this should be easy...no hopes, wishes or expectations on my end...only the moment.