What? I'm Just Relaxing

It's not that I drink a lot of wine. I just drink a little wine. All the time.

Being a mom is stressful. With a full-time job as well, it can be torturous. So the first thing I do when I get home at night is relax with a glass of red wine. Sometimes -- say, six of seven nights -- I'll have another with dinner. And then I'll cozy up with one more as I watch Jon Stewart.

You'd never know I'm a domestic lush unless you noticed that nasty, purple ring that red-wine tannins leave on the inside of your mouth. It's particularly embarrassing when you notice after the teleconference with India in the morning. So imagine how pleased I am to find this bu-RILL-yant invention that ends the vampire mouth:

Wine Wipes. All my friends are getting them in their stockings this year.

Photo credit: flickr.com, miqul

Kid Logic

setting: the neighborhood play center, in front of a little, rocking book.

(A child sits in the boat. Her mom sings "Row, row, row your boat..." A three-year-old boy approaches.)

Mom: Would you like to row with us?
Boy: I can't. Because I'm a race car. I can only zoom.

(The boy walks away.)

In Case You Need More Evidence...

Reason #64 Redheads Rock

They like beer.

Chores At Work

Five dudes standing around the empty coffeepot, chatting...

We have an unofficial policy that if you take the last cup of coffee, you refill the pot. Think's it just an odd coincidence, these dudes with their cups? Let me think about that as I grab a filter to make some coffee for my afternoon break.

Photo from flickr.com: rosaalta

Called Out

My husband and I just closed on a co-op apartment. (Thanks, economic meltdown!) It's in a family-friendly neighborhood in Brooklyn. We needed a little more space for the baby, and now we'll be right by the park, the library, the YMCA, plus some family. We're very excited.

The only bummer is that we like to think of ourselves as bohemian and edgy (I know, I know), and we're a little touchy about the reputation of our safe, charming neighborhood. We avoid telling people we live in >cringe< Park Slope.

We know this is silly. And besides, all the family-friendly elements are exactly what we love about it. And I'm sure we'll keep our edge, right?

Uh, wrong. An F train subway ad:

Another Ginger

Today's sweet redhead.

flickr: mommato8

Bad News for Bristol?

Uh oh.
Bristol Palin splits with fiance.

For the Sake of the Kids

MSNBC.com has reported that four national mental health organizations have reached the same conclusion many of us have held for years, if not decades:

"Research has shown children of same-sex couples are as likely as children of heterosexual parents to flourish," and "research shows same-sex parents are just as likely to provide healthy and supportive environments for children."

Meaning: Let same-sex couples get legally married -- for the sake of the kids.

Now, the context here is that Vermont is considering whether to replace its civil union statute with legal marriage for gay couples. And there's no real study on the benefits of marriage vs. civil unions. But the "clinicians said children of gay couples still endure ridicule and emotional harm from societal elements because the government does not allow their parents equal treatment under the law." So I think it's clear that the scientists are weighing in with a strong recommendation.

Hat tip to Hannah Tennant-Moore at Babble.com
Photo credit: flickr.com, sfPhotocraft

Being a Girl/Mom/Wife at work

Tonight, I made cookies for my co-worker's birthday -- I'll bring them to the office tomorrow. I enjoy making cookies, even though I always burn them, dammit. But I'm looking forward to sharing my gingerbread camels. (He just came back from a trip to Mecca. They're camels. Get it?)

What's a drag is that at the last moment, I'm wondering whether it's a good idea to bring them to work. Do I really want to seem so girly? Even more dangerous: so motherly?

And then I turn to Huffington Post for my late-night political candy and see this: Michelle Obama Wears Big, Bold Necklace To Ted Kennedy Birthday Concert.

I just imagine how that highly intelligent, supremely accomplished woman must feel having her necklaces analyzed. (Which necklace do you prefer? Answer our poll!) Seriously, even on the White House Web site, you find a line like this: "Michelle got one great thing out of working for a corporate law firm-that's where she met her husband, Barack. "

What to do? I dunno. Do you? At least we're in good company.

Kids and Eating Organic

It's a pet peeve of mine when journalists discover parenting "trends" that involve overanxious mothers hyper-controlling their childrens' lives. It's usually pretty bogus, and has more than a whiff of burnt scolding to it.

The latest "trend" under fire is that of mothers feeding their kids exotic and/or organic foods. According to the winking anecdotes in the New York Times, teaching your children about good and bad foods might make them anorexic or give them OCD.

According to Slate.com, kids can't really taste the difference between foods, and besides, kids are too precocious these days anyway. And what idiot let them in the kitchen with all those knives and wires?

The real truth lives somewhere like my house, where we try to buy organic produce when we can -- if we don't forget or it's not too expensive. (Which it usually is.) So you know what's helpful? A guide of which foods to buy organic, which to ignore. And do you know who published this simple list? A parenting site. They know that we're too busy cooking, cleaning, working and reading to our kids to be all that concerned.

Cookies for Breakfast!

I've heard about these 'Great Depression Cooking' videos but figured they'd be silly -- I'm scrimping, but it's not like I'm trying to feed Pa and Baby Joad on half an egg.

I found this video not only delightful, but humbling: Yes, Clara is making cookies for breakfast. That's what they ate on Sundays as a special treat. Doesn't it sound practically wholesome? Have a look-see: