birthdays

I had such a sweet time making the little Lucias from Alicia's kit. I noticed today that she set up a flickr group for folks to share images of their little creations, but for lazy me, this is as far as I got in terms of photographing them, all naked and disembodied.


Andrew turned 2 last week and we really didn't do a very good job of celebrating in style. He wanted soy-dogs and pickles for dinner, so that's what he got, along with a chocolate-chip muffin disguised as a cupcake. It's Nigella's recipe and true to the British custom of not being achingly sweet. I could have eaten four in one sitting. Pete brought me flowers for our little man's birthday , a tradition I love. One of my close friends, Cory, had her second baby on Sunday. She and I went to midwifery school together and were neighbors in Brooklyn and pregnant at the same time with our firsts. She's a midwife now at the fabulous, deeply-needed birth center at Roosevelt Hosp. in NYC. Cory's the yin to my yang - she's in all ways very soft, very tender. When I asked her how her birth was, she said, "Terrible". When I asked her why, she sighed, "Well, you know - it was normal". Although I hate she had a rough labor (I'm sure waiting in traffic at the Holland Tunnel nearly in transition didn't help) I am oddly comforted by the fact that even she, who acquiesces so effortlessly through the jagged bits of life, was challenged by the overwhelming task of labor.

Maybe it's just because I'm a midwife, but I've always been curious about why the birth part of Christmas isn't addressed more. I can't imagine the vulnerability of Mary as she struggled along the streets of Bethlehem, looking for a place to have her baby. And I love the idea that most of the most meaningful events of our lives happen in common places, lowly places...that we can find our greatest joys in times of struggle and stillness.

Wherefore Art Thou?

Hello! Here I am.

Sorry I've been so MIA. I think I'm finally starting to feel the effects of my new job juxtaposed with my more "creative" life. The job is wonderful but there is no denying I have less time (and mojo) than I did a month ago.


Christmas is in full swing here in our little house. I started coming up with some decorations this summer and it's been a real treat to start accessorizing with shiny baubles. Last Saturday I made a trip to the Scrap Exchange to check out their Christmas stock. All in all, a total success. Here's a picture of me upon my return. Pete wouldn't even let me in the door before he captured my gluttonous holiday hoarding. But all for less than $30! And yes, those are three trees you see, for a grand total of 4 in our home, hence a level of festivity Bo and I decided was markedly redneck. But only one is lit, which brings the tacky quotient down a little. However, it is made out of white tinsel, so I guess I'm back where I started.

I received the Lucia Doll Kit yesterday from Alicia and it is so darling. This afternoon I am going to huddle up in my studio, sip hot chocolate, listen to old holiday episodes of This American Life and construct the little Lucias. I've also been giving a lot of thought about what to give friends this year. I've never been a big shopper or extravagant gift-giver but I think it's lovely to leave a little "happy" for the people who've been so special and generous all year long. This year I think I'm going to give bags filled with large cubed, powdered-sugar dusted homemade marshmallows and a tin of Trader Joe's sipping chocolate.

I've made marshmallows once before, under different circumstances. In the fall of 2003 NYC was so painfully frigid I would literally go to the furthest lengths of reason to avoid going outside unnecessarily. The day before Thanksgiving I was making some rocky-road fudge to take to my in-laws when I realized I was out of marshmallows. Instead of hauling my body 10 blocks up along the Hudson to the grocery store I decided to make the marshmallows instead. Our kitchen was so tiny - more like a small walk-in closet with an oven and a sink, and the marshmallows were a horrific mess. But....absolutely sublime.