Yes, that's right. I call these babies "Restraining Order" Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, because I honestly need to issue an imaginary restraining order ON MYSELF after I make them. They are YUMMY. And even when I cover them up in tin-foil and walk all the way across the house to another room, they call to me, beckoning to be eaten. So I end up ignoring the imaginary restraining order. It's only IMAGINARY, after all.



Now, I love white chocolate (which isn't…

So, these last days leading up to the baby’s estimated due date have been quite the emotional whirlwind for me.

Of course, like every other mama on the brink of giving birth, I have been totally anxious to feel the beginnings of labor, or receive SOME sign that the baby has decided to make his way into this world. And like every other wishful VBAC mama, I have been especially anxious, hoping that this baby’s birth might be different from my first baby’s.  In search of giving my son…

Maybe I’m just being sensitive.

Scratch that. I am DEFINITELY being sensitive.

But it seems that lately I have noticed how inappropriate certain conversations are when they are being held in the company of a very pregnant woman. Of course, I can’t exactly tell people to STOP talking about…

Pregnancy is not kind on the sleep cycle. Neither is a two year old child. So the combination of being pregnant and having a toddler has translated into my averaging about 4.5 hours of sleep a night, as of late.  I’ve heard lots of conventional wisdom about establishing an evening routine as a family, so that everyone can get some much needed rest.…

I’ve got to be honest. I’ve been rather lackadaisical about this second pregnancy. I mean, getting preggers again after only 18 months since Em’s birth has made me feel pretty “been there, done that” about this whole thing. I’ve actually felt quite guilty about my lack of nervousness and anticipation.

 With a…

As I have mentioned before, one of the best things about parenting is that it gives me the opportunity to re-discover the wonder of the world through my child’s eyes. Things that I have taken for granted for years upon years now suddenly have become fascinating again, as my daughter realizes and…

Well, folks, the day has arrived. Em has transformed from a person to a parrot, a toddler-voiced echo that follows C and I around the house. Many of our conversations go like this:

“Emmy, it’s time for you to brush your teeth,” says I.

“Bruthh your TEETH!” says Em.

“Make sure to go up and…

My daughter has a magical way about her.



She can get people to do all sorts of things that I would NEVER in a million years be able to get people to do.



Like last week, when the three of us made an impromptu visit to my in-laws one late afternoon. Em asked her grandmother, Baba,…

So last night I had another one of my crazy pants pregnancy dream nights, where I basically felt submerged in a David Lynchian world for the eight hours I was in bed. Now normally, I wouldn’t mind being stuck in a wonder world of red velvet curtains and ambient noise-music, but the dreams I was…

Prior to her breast cancer diagnosis, my mother had been quite vigilant about doing breast self exams, and getting routine mammograms. It didn’t help.

My mom died about a year and a half ago, after an 18 year battle with breast cancer that slowly but surely metasticized to her brain, liver, and other organs.…