Mom is Just a Nickname

It’s hard to believe that four years ago, I looked like this. [it's a terrible picture of me, but at 37 weeks pregnant, I think I had a a good reason for looking grumpy!] More importantly, four years ago, once he’d made his arrival in the world, X looked like this.

He didn’t make the stunningly quick arrival that his siblings made. He took his time moving from the womb to the world. He has always moved on his own schedule that way. He doesn’t seem to care so much what time schedule the rest of us have to keep, he will do things when he is ready. From weaning to potty training to getting dressed each morning, he can’t be hurried, bribed or cajoled. When he’s ready, he does it.

From that description, he sounds like a stubborn old man, but this kid is a little ball of energy! He bounces off of walls! Literally! When he meets new people, he’s very quiet at first. Before he talks a whole lot, he’ll show off his ‘moves’, which are crazy break-dance-like movements. Once the new person has watched him properly and commented on his prowess, then he’ll start talking to them.

He balances his tremendous energy and ponderous readiness to cooperate with a sensitivity that can’t help but touch my heart. He is often the first person to notice I need comfort, the first to offer one of his little friends something to cheer them up and the first to want to give hugs and kisses. He can be very sweet.

Four years old. Two years older than his older brother will ever be. Five years younger than his older sister. He has made his place in our family and our hearts. He is our not-so-little-anymore X-man. He has blue eyes, just like his brother and daddy. He is creative, quick to learn, overflowing with curiosity and energy, and altogether a balm for this mother’s wounded heart.

Some days he drives me crazy. Usually I watch him in amazement and gratitude for the gift that he is.

I’m all about making things that are easy to put together. I don’t mind if it has to simmer awhile or if it has to stew in the crockpot all day, or even if it has to bake all day, as long as it is quick for me to throw into the pot or crock or pan.

When I look at new recipes, I look at a few things to determine it’s appropriateness for my kitchen: are the ingredients relatively easy and inexpensive to acquire? [or, even better, are they already in my cabinets?] Are the instructions easy to read and follow? Do I have all the equipment necessary to make this? If the answer is no to one of these questions, I may investigate further to see if it’s something I really want to make. If the answer is yes to all of these, then we’re in business….and the most important question of all is asked at some point in this: Will Toph and I eat this?

Unfortunately our favorite quick meal is *hangs head in shame* frozen pizza. Followed closely by things like macaroni and cheese, hot dogs and beans or grilled cheese. We’ve been trying to make these more into planned meals than desperation meals so that we don’t fix them all the time out of laziness. At least, that’s been MY personal goal.

There are other great quick meals that don’t come out of a package though. Quesadillas (another ‘Q’!) are one. I watched a young friend of our family make them one day and he inspired me. Throw some butter in the pan [low heat], throw a tortilla on top. While it’s sizzling away, toss on your favorite ingredients. Toph and I like already cooked chicken (diced or shredded), cheddar cheese, onions and sliced green and red bell peppers. The kids prefer to have theirs without the onions and peppers, naturally. I put most of the ingredients on just half of the tortilla, cheese on the whole thing. When the tortilla has browned to my satisfaction and the cheese is melted and bubbly, I fold it in half and serve. I like mine with a little bit of salsa, sour cream and guacamole if I’ve made some with a salad on the side.

Other things like taco salad, spaghetti and my white beans and pasta make excellent quick meals. They’ve been helping to change the meaning of the phrase from ‘desperation packaged meal’ to something more homemade and delicious.