Big Gulps

What in the world is this…world coming to? The New York Post recently published an article detailing New York Mayor Bloomberg’s newest initiative to exercise control over the city’s new mothers - Latch On NYC. First outlawing Big Gulps, now Enfamil? Come on, now. Sure, breast is best. Even the formula manufacturers caveat their marketing with that statement. However, if you are unable to breastfeed, or heaven forbid make the choice not to, formula is the only other answer. Not only will a mother requesting a formula bottle be given a "talking to", but the formula will actually be kept under lock and key, much the same as controlled substances are in a hospital. How is it anyone else’s right to tell a mother that she is in the wrong for choosing formula? Is it really any better for me to eat a poor diet of Hot Tamales and Raisin Bran, and then breastfeed, or feed my baby a well-balanced, iron and vitamin fortified high quality formula? I’ll admit, we went through A LOT of Hot Tamales in the first couple of months of T’s life.

When T was born, the cord was wrapped around his neck twice, and he was immediately taken away for NICU observation. Luckily, all was well, but it resulted in low blood sugar, and we were forced to feed him formula from a bottle for the first week or so of his life. We tried and tried in vain in the hospital to get him to nurse. The Nazi Lactation Consultants were on the job, and at one time I think I had four different hands on my boob, trying to get him to drink from a tube next to my nipple. None of those hands were mine. It just didn’t work. He had no interest in nursing, and luckily I was able to pump and bottle feed for the first 5 months of his life (Had to. I couldn’t waste all that milk from the Land o’ Plenty!) When I was done though, I. WAS. DONE. He thrived on the formula from that point on. He had ear infections, he got colds. He was hospitalized with croup, and later with staph. Do I think my feeding him formula had anything to do with this? Absolutely not. On top of that, I recently told my mom that the only time I had any baby blues issues was when I tried, and failed at breastfeeding. I felt the pressure to do “the only way that was right” – and I couldn’t.

When Z was born, I was determined to try it again. That little sucker latched on within minutes, and all was a go. Did I like it? Not particularly, but I stayed with it. I nursed part time for the first few months, but introduced a bottle within the first week. I’m too much of a control freak, and could not stand not knowing how much he was getting in each feeding. And feeding every two hours, with a not-quite-three-year-old at home didn’t help. He spit up buckets. I’m not kidding – we had puddles the size of plates. Once I finally switched him to formula around 6.5 months, within a couple of weeks, the spit up subsided. It’s not gone, but it’s usually just a dribble or two. He has yet to have had a fever that wasn’t related to teething. He’s healthy, but I have to think sometimes that his neediness comes from those early days of my breast being at his beck and call. I am not complaining. Certainly with breastfeeding comes a certain sense of bonding, but I don’t know that it’s any closer of a bond than I have with T. T loooooves his Mama!

I know this is a sensitive topic, and many people feel differently. If nursing your infant is what works for you, by all means do it. However, there is absolutely nothing wrong with choosing a high quality formula for your baby. Key word there is “choosing.” This is not, and should not be, a government decision. Mayor Bloomberg believes that the only reason a woman would choose to formula feed their baby is that they lack education, and are not aware that breastfeeding is best. Really? I am not a feminist, but WHY do men keep making the decisions about what woman do with their bodies??? I have boys, and they won’t be faced with these laws when they’re older. However for those of my friends with girls, we have to do something to make our government leaders understand that women are no longer second rate citizens, incapable to making their own decisions. We need to show them just how educated we are, and assert ourselves so that our future little women don’t have to!

Ugh…stepping off the soapbox now.

Because I Said So…..

Seasons 52 – Guilt Free Tastes Good!

To echo a previous sentiment, I love food…but it doesn’t have to make me fat. Finally coming to my senses after an upward weight climb post baby #2, I joined Weight Watchers a couple of weeks ago (5th times a charm, right)? I figured I couldn’t really refer to it as baby weight anymore since Z is 8 months old. That, and the weight all poured on after I stopped nursing and continued to eat like I still had a little calorie sucker. (Fried Chicken, Pizza, Burgers, anyone?) I’m making a calculated effort to really stick to the plan this time – at least during week. So when my Father-In-Law invited us to dinner, I suggested a recent discovery of mine – Seasons 52. Appropriately named for the seasonal menu that changes each of the 52 weeks of the year, the menu offers a nice selection of fresh, simply prepared dishes.

Everything on Seasons 52’s menu is under 475 calories. They cook with no butter. Sounds boring, right? Sounds like you are going to be forced to eat the equivalent of a tiny tasteless Lean Cuisine meal. Wrong!! For 475 calories (or less) I had a whole Grilled Boneless Rainbow Trout with a lemon glaze, parsley new potatoes, and roasted rainbow carrots (9 pts). D had the Woodroasted Pork Tenderloin, with soft herb polenta, cremini mushrooms, broccoli, shallot-Dijon glaze (10 pts), and FIL had Oak-Grilled Filet Mignon with cremini mushrooms, rainbow carrots, asparagus, garlic mashed potatoes (12 pts). For appetizers we shared the Ripe Plum Tomato flatbread with fresh basil, roasted garlic, melted Parmesan cheese (10 pts) and the Maryland Crab, Roasted Shrimp & Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms under a Parmesan-panko crust (9 pts). The food was very good, tasted fresh, and was seasoned perfectly.

For dessert, they offer what they call “Mini Indulgences”, which are desserts in a shot glass. We tried the Pecan Pie with Vanilla Mousse (9 pts), Belgian Chocolate Rocky Road (10 pts), and Blueberry Cheesecake (7 pts). The perfect size to satisfy that sweet craving.

I can honestly say I was full at the end of dinner. Full, but not “stick a fork in me, I’m done” or “you might have to roll me home” full. Pleasantly satisfied. And when I weighed myself this morning, I had lost two pounds. Amazing!

And you know what the best thing is about eating such a light meal?? More wine!!!

www.seasons52.com
340 Ward Pkwy
Kansas City, MO 64112
(816) 531-0052

TRY IT...Because I said so.

The "What If's" Will Kill You

OK, this blog is supposed to be fun, and I feel like I’m a Debbie Downer. But here’s what’s on my mind today…

Last night my husband asked me if our 7 month old ever made eye contact with me. I answered quickly, because I too, had noticed that he doesn’t seem to respond as quickly as I think he should, or as his brother did. He also doesn’t seem to answer when I say his name. It’s almost like he’s ignoring us, or he doesn’t hear it. This started a whole night of me Googling - the devil when it comes to diagnosing what may or may not be whatever disorder your child may or may not have.

First, he is the most engaging, smiley baby. He laughs, and he makes eye contact when he laughs. He gets super excited when we enter the room. He hears us, and loves to listen to music. His physical development is right on (though I was watching a video of his big bro at the same age the other night, and there are certain things he’s not doing yet(banging objects together)). The two boys have totally different personalities. T was and is a quiet observer, while Z is a mad man, so full of energy. When I try to play patty cake, he’s pulling away so he can go look at something else. Is that just his personality, or is there something wrong? These are the questions that torment parents today. On the web, there are many “Milestone” lists. One site says kids should recognize and “answer” to their names by 4 months, while another says to be concerned if they aren’t yet doing it at 12 months. Ugh! It is so hard to be a parent. When do I worry? It doesn’t get easier the second time around, and it might be worse because of the comparisons you make to an older child, or friends’ kids.

In my Googling, I saw the 1 in 88 number for Autism, with the rate for boys 1 in 54. ONE IN FIFTY-FOUR. My particular group of friends and acquaintances has produced a brood of boys (watch out girls!) and I can’t help but wonder – who will it be? Is it my baby boy, who for some reason ignores me when I call his name? Will we all (hopefully) be lucky enough to escape this diagnosis? It’s not the end of the world, but I can’t get that sad little nagging feeling out of my head.

I, in no way want to make light of Autism or any other childhood diagnosis. I know that baby Z is probably just fine, and is just developing at his own rate. I know that I am not alone, however, in the struggle to know whether my child is “normal”. And I’m guessing that struggle won’t end for another few years…or ever?

There Are No Words

A devastating thing happened late last week, and I cannot get it out of my mind. The grief I have experienced for this family can only be the tiniest fraction of what they are feeling. I will not go into great detail, because I can't bear to. I just wanted to share this article that will break your heart, but will also remind you to slow down so that this can never happen to you. I know there are a lot of people out there that cannot fathom accidentally leaving a baby in a car when they went into work, only to find their precious child lifeless at the end of the day. Typing the words, it's hard for me to imagine. But it happens 600 times a year. And it just happened to a mother, just like you and me. And to a family, just like yours and mine. People are crucifying the mother in comments on Facebook and the online news articles. I pray that this family never reads these words. The pain they will face for the rest of their lives is enough for anyone to bear.

This article is very long, and very sad. I hope that after reading it, however, you make a change in your daily routine to ensure this could never happen to you. Make a plan with your daycare provider to call you by a set time - 9 AM? - if you have not dropped your child off at daycare. With the American Academy of Pediatrics' (www.aap.com) recommendation of rear facing car seats until age 2, I have a terrible feeling that this number is only going to climb unless something can be done to alarm parents if they are leaving a child unattended.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/27/AR2009022701549.html

Hug and kiss your babies today, and hold them extra tight.

Rest in Peace, Baby H

How To Save Money on Stuff You Don't Need

"I'm going to buy it anyway, so why not get it at a discount, right?" That's how I think about all of the discount sites geared towards parents getting "steals" on kids' toys, clothes, blankets, and crap I never even knew I needed. Scratch that. Wanted.

The sites suck you in with the guise of getting a "steal" on items, during a very limited time window - or while supplies last. This is all fine, until you are spending a lot more money than you wanted to, and end up with a stockpile of baby items you can't use. That being said, I have discovered some really great products from these sites. One of my favorites, I purchased from www.babysteals.com. It was a Saranoni blanket (www.saranoni.com), normally $44, for $23.99. I had no idea what Saranoni was, just thought Baby Z needed a special blanket of his own. I received it and it is beautiful, and so so soft. I have received so many compliments, and now am watching for the adult size to go on "steal" so I can give a gift to one of its many admirers.

Here is a list of my favorite sites for buying maternity/baby/kid/mom items at a discount. I apologize that I can't get get the links to work right now so you have to copy/paste. Techno-challenged, I guess:

http://www.babysteals.com – Deals posted 10 AM Central and 8 PM Central
http://www.kidsteals.com – Deals posted at 10 AM Central and 10 PM Central
http://www.babyhalfoff.com - A deal a day, always 1/2 off or more
http://www.plumdistrict.com - Deals For Moms, By Moms (Multiple deals daily/weekly)
http://www.kids.woot.com - One deal daily. Watch this for large toy items
http://www.zulilly.com - Many "sales" offered daily/weekly *
http://www.hippobargains.com - Deal posted between 10 and 11 AM Central
http://www.mamabargains.com - Offers deals throughout the day **
http://www.totsy.com - Various items on sale for up to three days

I wanted to share a couple of other favorite sites for saving money. These are not specific to savings on children's items, but there are always coupons and deals listed to get into area attractions at a discount. I don't know how these ladies find the time to do it, but the Penny Pinchin Mom has saved me a ton of money!

http://www.pennypinchinmom.com
http://www.kansascityonthecheap.com
http://www.mykansascitymommy.com
http://www.kcparent.com/Coupons
http://www.totallytarget.com

For almost all of these sites, you can sign up for a daily email or monitor through Facebook, so the deals will show up in your feed. Since I'm addicted to my Smartphone, I just keep track there instead of dragging myself downstairs to log in to the computer at 10PM. Although...with my new ipad on the way, I sense a new addiction knocking on my door, and I will be able to do all my browsing from bed on something larger than a 3x5 screen!

There are so many sites out there, I just mentioned a few that I actually use. They are great tools for saving money, but you have to practice some self control...or buy things you know you can use as gifts later. If those Saranoni blankets come back, I can assure you I will be buying more than one to keep for gifts for 2nd babies. Any takers? Now...go shop!!

* I did have a not so great experience with Zulilly's timeliness. They had a big Dr. Seuss sale, and I ordered some items to give as a gift. Two weeks later, they still hadn't shipped. They did credit my shipping, however, and to be fair they had a disclaimer that it might take that long. I now have two Dr. Seuss onesies and a puzzle that I received too late for the shower, and were off season for my boys. Case in point...spending money when sometimes you shouldn't. Oh well, I'll just sell them at one of the many consignment sales around town! (topic for a future post)

** I bought 3 months of meal planning once for $19. Great concept for both fresh and freezer meal ideas with printable grocery lists. Go Ahead. Ask me how many times I used it :-)

Jasper's Restaurant

I love food, and it's making me fat. I can't help it though. When you have restaurants like Jasper's in the area, how can you NOT eat at them?! It had been years since I had last dined at Jasper's, so it seemed like the perfect choice for my turn to host Dinner Club. A quick review of the menu at www.jasperskc.com proved to be a bit of a surprise. The average entree price was $19.99 (includes salad). I'd estimate a $5 increase in the last five years or so, and I was worried we were exceeding the club budget. However, the food is so good, it's totally worth it. The cute young guys who wait on you hand and foot? Well worth the increase!

The five of us met on a Thursday night. Upon approach, Jasper's Restaurant and its adjacent Marco Polo's Italian Market is unremarkable - part of a strip mall in a fairly run down area at 103rd and State Line's Watts Mill Shopping Center. However, once you step inside, you see the quaint ambiance of a traditional Italian fine dining restaurant. We were greeted quickly, and were shown to our table in the middle of the dining room.

Wine first, of course. Three of us tasted a flight of reds (Cab, Chianti, and Pinot Noir) before settling on the Pinot. Another at the table had a Chardonnay, and another stuck with soda. Once we took recommendations from the waiter, we chose our entrees. Sadly, I might have been the only one not to go with a recommendation, and ordered the Pollo Alla Marco Pollo (Chicken breast filled with ham, cheese, and spinach in a tomato basil cream sauce) because that's what I had always ordered in the past. While delicious, let's face it...it's breaded chicken filled with savory cream cheese. I ordered it for the tomato basil sauce, and asked for extra to take home with the leftovers I knew I would have.

The rest of the girls dined on FETTUCCINI CON PANNA E PARMIGIANO, TORTELLINI ALLA ROMANO (minus the peas!), PETTI DI POLLO ALLA PIEMONTESE (Breast of chicken with cave mushrooms, Vernaccia wine, and capers), and CAPELLI D’ANGELO ALLA NANNI (Angel hair with mushrooms, Prosciutto di Parma, peas,cream, spicy tomato and grated Parmagiano cheese sauce). I had the pleasure of tasting the PETTI DI POLLO ALLA PIEMONTESE and wow, melt in your mouth good. And the Spicy tomato and grated parmigiano cheese sauce from the Nanni? The same as my beloved sauce from the Marco Polo! As much I enjoyed my dish, next time I'm branching out for sure.

For dessert, we sampled three from the extensive dessert collection. Our waiter rolled the cart out and we chose
Cioccolatta di Tartuffo, Torta Coconuta, and because "someone" had a "birthday", a Strawberry Borghese cake. Yum, yum...that's all I can say!

Enough about the food. I cannot say enough about the service. What a bunch of cute young guys! Oh, I mean, what a bunch of talented and attentive waiters!! Upon hearing my praise a few days later, my Father-in-Law used the word "pandering" to describe them. I'll take it - they know how to make their customers happy! The highlight of the evening was a personal visit from the Chef, Jasper Mirabile, Jr. We needed a picture for the blog, so he graciously posed with us, then excitedly ordered us a round of his new Blood Orangecello. He brought out the oranges they use, and proudly displayed how dark and lovely they were. *I say this kind of tongue in cheek, because I know nothing about the "cello" making process, nor blood oranges, but I appreciated his passion.*

I am happy to have introduced some of my friends to a new restaurant that I hope they will one day return to. Jasper's has a long standing Kansas City presence, and with this last visit, it might have moved to the top of my list!


Things you need to know:
Reservations suggested but not required. Online reservations through their website are available
NO split checks, or multiple payment methods


Jasper's
1201 W. 103rd Street
Kansas City, MO 64114
816-941-6600

Martin City Brewing Company

So, one day I was flipping through the coupons from Val-Pack and came across one for Martin City Brewing Company (martincitybrewingcompany.com).  My husband and I are always on the lookout for new places to go for date night, and like to support locally-owned businesses.  We decided to give this one a try since it’s pretty close to our house in Leawood (it’s just east of Suburban Lawn and Garden at 500 E 135th Street, Kansas City, MO 64145).  Not knowing what to expect, I have to say we were delightfully surprised.  It has great atmosphere, and is one of those places that you feel comfortable in right away.  The staff was friendly, and while it’s certainly a brewpub (they have about 14 beers on tap and 50 different varieties of bottled beer), the food is so spectacular that it’s a far cry from your normal bar fare. The night we went was chilly, but we did take a look at the beer garden outside and can’t wait for a warm summer evening to hang out there and sample different beers from their large selection.

The first time we went we sat at the bar and the bartender was very knowledgeable about both the food menu and the beer selection.  The menu consists of appetizers, salads, burgers and sandwiches, but as we soon discovered they weren’t your typical greasy, quick-and-easy grub you’d get at some other bars and restaurants.  With some helpful advice from the bartender, we each ordered a beer (yum) and I had a Steak and Blue Cheese salad (baby spinach, marinated & grilled flank with red onion, red pepper & blue cheese crumbles and balsamic vinaigrette, with roasted mushrooms and walnuts), while my husband ordered the special of the day which was a pasta dish with shrimp and scallops.  While I’m not one for ordering a salad for my entrée, the dish description sounded good so I decided to give it a try.  I’m typically a steak snob (filet mignon only, please) so I was concerned that the flank steak that came in my salad would be tough, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.  It was some of the most flavorful, tender meat I’ve ever had and could definitely beat out some of the filet mignon I’ve had at other restaurants. My husband LOVED his pasta dish. Seriously, we considered skipping our plans to see a movie afterward so that he could order a second portion!

Our experience was so positive at Martin City Brewing Company, that when it was my turn to choose a restaurant for our monthly girls’ night dinner club, the choice was simple.  So, in early March I returned with friends so they could experience the great food, atmosphere and friendly service that make this place such a great find.  Our server was very helpful in helping us choose our beers and wine, and the overall service was fantastic.  We started with some Traditional Bruchetta (crostini topped with diced tomatoes, basil, and garlic, and garnished with herb balsamic vinaigrette & parmesan cheese), which was delicious.  I had told everyone about how good the salad was that I had on my first visit, and some tried salads of their own.  I decided to try one of their sandwiches, but had been so impressed with the flank steak in the salad on my first visit, that I went with the Steak and Blue Cheese sandwich (marinated flank steak, red pepper, baby spinach & red onion with a horseradish cream sauce and blue cheese on a toasted ciabatta roll). Once again, the flank steak was delicious, and everyone at the table thoroughly enjoyed their entrées. 

With the average price of an entrée at about $10, the prices at Martin City Brewing Company are very reasonable - especially given the quality and quantity of the food given.  They have daily drink specials (check out their website for details), and live music on Fridays and Saturdays on the patio.  I can’t wait to go back and enjoy some great food, beer, exceptional service and wonderful atmosphere – hopefully on a beautiful night on the patio!