"Just a bundle of love..."

I've briefly mentioned my love for Ryan Montbleau Band on this blog before... but tonight, it reached new depths.

(Here's a sweet little video to get you in the mood to read the rest of this post.)

cruisin' craig & his classifieds.

I just spent 45 minutes of my very busy day craigslisting.  I'll never get those precious minutes back.  I could've given myself a pedicure, repainted that dresser I've had sanded for two months, or scrubbed the toilet.  These are all things that actually need to get done while my kid sleeps... including the pedicure.  It is sandal season and being a new mom is no excuse for these funky feet.

Who wouldn't be bummed to
miss a connection with one of you?
Bombers babes for life!

I started my tour de craig in the "for sale" section.  I spend a lot of time looking for funky "antiques"... but I usually end up in the "free" section when I can't afford the really cool stuff.  Occasionally I'll browse the real estate listings.  In my Lark Street days, I searched "Bombers" in the missed connections a few times, just to see how many stalkers were lurking on my hottie Bomber babes (I found a scary number of results... no, that is not how I met my husband).  Today, I ended up elsewhere...

I ended up looking at "jobs."

Who ARE You?

I've had a lot of people tell me, "I read your blog and..."

Then I look at my "followers" (to the right) and feel like the last kid picked at kickball.  Seriously, people... 6 of you?  Now, I don't expect to get Jesus-like status... but if a few of you would fess up and call yourself a "follower" I'd feel WAY better about spending my few precious alone moments blogging.

Please and thank you.
- The Management

An Update: Thank You, Dr. Ferber.

The last time I breached the topic of sleep I was a hopeful, over tired mother who had just let her baby boy cry for the very first time.  No... it wasn't the first time he ever cried.  It was the first time I sat and watched the tears and blubbering without rushing to his aid, arms outstretched and ready to kiss him all better.

Sharky & Bones.

When Felix was first born, I had a list of my own parenting rules mapped out...

1.)  No fast-food, soda, or sugared cereals.  Not ever.  Not from me.  Not from Grandma.  Not from the coolest kid in the play group. 

2.)  There will be no television or movie character themed room decorating or birthday parties.  Not Mickey.  Not Sponge Bob.  Not Winnie the Pooh.  (Super heroes and Star Wars are the exceptions).

3.)  Television will be a rarely watched treat and it will not "babysit" our boy.

There were more... some of which have already fallen by the wayside (thank you, Dr. Ferber).  I'm still steadfast on these top 3...  However, I'm beginning to find an affinity for some of the programming on the Disney Channel in the wee hours of the morning.  In fact, I actually find myself flicking on the television at around 7:30am hoping for a Sharky & Bones sighting while I make the coffee. 

Watch this video if you don't mind humming "drink your tea, crocodile" all day long.

Wait... do I even know how to "self" soothe?

A three day old Felix, sleeping "like a baby."

Up until this moment, I'd consider myself the kind of mom that puts the HIP in hippie.  I did an all natural childbirth.  And sure, I breastfeed...  and yeah, we "co-sleep" and "wear" the baby.  I even make a lot of Felix's food from scratch and we only use whole grain rice cereals.  However, I do break out a jar of Gerber every now and again (mind you, it's the "all naturals" kind).  I traded in the cloth diapering for good ol' fashion Huggies at about 4 months (after he outgrew the first batch of hemp prefolds).  I wear makeup in public if I get the thirty seconds to apply and I am pretty much hooked on "Keeping Up With the Kardashians."

Happy Independence Day, Ya' Loon!

For twenty years now, my family and I have visited a magical place in the Adirondacks called Fernloch.  Our dear friends, The Roe Family, have so graciously shared this space with us and made it feel like a second home.  This weekend, I brought Felix to Fernloch for the first time.  It was so amazing to have Felix in a place that has built so many wonderful memories.  Caroga Lake was where I first waterskied, where my Mom and I spent girls weekends weaving baskets, where my Dad danced to Delbert McClinton while drinking Cactus Juice, where I shoveled snow off of a make shift ice rink, where Eden broke his leg, where I picked blueberries in to a coffee can, where I partied with my girlfriends during my hen weekend, and now - where Felix rode on a boat for the first time and we saved a loon.

Did you know loons mate for life and share nesting duties?
Think about how much those two facts are really connected... hmmm.
This is a momma loon and her baby.  I did not take this picture,
but I have equally amazing shots on the way.  Stay tuned.

UPDATE:  More pictures and the story of the loon are now on my facebook page.

The New York State of Mind... is Finally OPEN!

Tonight, I witnessed history being made from the comfort of my own overstuffed arm chair.  I watched the New York State Senate say YES to Marriage Equality on the tube, while checking my laptop every few minutes for status updates from friends closer to the action - watching live at the Capitol.  Glass of wine in hand, sweats on, and baby sleeping peacefully on my lap.  I hugged Felix really tight after I heard the good news.  Because he was alive to "watch" history with his mommy and because the world he lives in will (hopefully) be a more open-minded and tolerant place.

Photo of The Empire State Building... gone gay!
(from Buzzfeed.com)

So... who needs a wedding planner?  You've got 30 days to plan if you want to get married on day one!  I'm up for the challenge!

Mommy Outing, A Review.

Peek-a-boo!

Did I mention what we did on Mother's Day?  I don't think I did.  Blame it on the busy life of a new mom.  Here's the update and a review of a stay-cation spot located near the 518.

Babeland's Father of the Year!

Steven Keaton... George McFly... Atticus Finch... Fred G. Sanford... Cliff Huxtable... Homer Simpson... Darth Vader... Phil Dunfey...

On the long list of dear-old-dads, my favorite one is Terence Lynch.

He works all day, just to keep trucking through the night... getting our little love nest ready for mama and baby bird.  He fills our world with music, laughter, and love.  We're so lucky to have him!

Happy Father's Day!

Love, Felix

... and his mama!

Remember way back when?  Felix's first day home.
Rocking with his daddy in the warm sun glow.

Carly in the Kitchen: Key Lime Cupcakes

Helpful Hint:  Don't eat the lime.  Save it for a shot of tequila.

Recipe & What Not After the Jump...

the family that rocks together...

Months ago I made it known that I wanted to go to Mountain Jam.  It's a music festival... and we're "music festival people."  Michael Franti. Umphrey's McGee. Grace Potter. The Avett Brothers.  Ryan Montbleau.  The lineup was looking pretty fantastic and it's less than twenty minutes from our doorstep, on the same mountain Terry and I both learned to ski and snowboard on.  Any other year, it'd be a no-brainer... sure, off to the jam we'd go.  But THIS year, well... I don't think Terry quite took me seriously.

A Perfect Day on the Mountain.
06.04.11

51 Percent.

Thanks Rosie and Feministing.com, for directing me to this too true (and also very comical) take on Beyonce's latest hit... which I could probably shake my ass too, but will think twice about next time I'm all up in da' club getting my freak on (yeah, like that happens).

Jammin' On the One...

Thanks to a half dozen of my fabulous friends, I found a SWEET deal on Mountain Jam tickets this morning!  I'm super excited to see Ryan Montbleau, the Avett Brothers, and Michael Franti... and even more excited to see Marcy D, Sue Bee, Sam Sam, and the family rocking out on an early summer afternoon.

Apple Paltrow & Felix
have similar headgear.
Too bad Felix freaks
whenever his come near
his dome!

We might have grown up and had a baby... but we certainly haven't out grown rock and roll.

Now, if we could just get him used to his live music headphones we'd be all set!  So far, he's not too keen on 'em.  Maybe we'll have to do some practice runs in the next few days...  The kid wears any hat you put on his head (and looks damn good in them, if I do say so myself) but you slap these noise canceling muffs on him and he loses it!  Gotta protect those baby ear drums though!

Well... We're crossing fingers for sunshine and a smiling baby on June 4th!




P.S.  Props to anyone who can identify where "Jammin' On the One" originated.

Tonight, "I have a dream."

Shepard Fairey - my favorite contemporary artist -
created this poster in reaction to the
California Proposition 8.  

A few weeks ago, I posted a link to this story on my facebook with the following status update:

"If Felix wants to paint his toenails pink, my only objection will be if he wants to use Wet n' Wild - that stuff chips too easy!"

Today, I read an installment from another favorite blog, FridayPuppy.com.  FridayPuppy is spear headed by my friend Matt and also includes entries written by his entourage.  If you know my friend Matt, you understand that he truly is fabulous enough to qualify for an entourage.  He's handsome, generous (he just was named the Leukemia Lymphoma Man of the Year thanks to his serious fundraising efforts), successful and (*sigh, single ladies*) gay.  His newest blogger, Craig from London, is also gay (and, as far as I can tell, also fabulous).  He wrote a post about how he recently explained his sexuality to his beloved nieces... and it struck a similar chord as the story I linked to above.

Obviously, transgender/cross-dressing/etc. have no real relation to homosexuality.  However, due to societal norms they are often forced to hide out in neighboring closets.  My reaction to both blog pieces is that I hope Felix's generation become more and more understanding of our differences, learning to accept one another on the grit that really counts - not on the color of their skin, what sex they are, who they want to marry, or what toenail polish the choose.

The end.  Goodnight.

Words of advice from a typical Italian mother.

I've read the "What to Expect" books.  I thumbed through The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding (which I highly recommend).  I've referred to a hand-me-down copy of Breastfeeding for Dummies  (it's actually quite useful).  I'm a regular on the websites of Dr. Sears, La Leche League, and KellyMom.com.  All of my resources seem to agree:  if a baby is healthy and gaining weight, there is no reason to feed him anything but breast milk for at least the first 6 months of life.  Some of my resources even said a year!

...  but at about 3 and a half months, I couldn't help feeling Felix wanted a more substantial dinner.

Inside the lines of an artsy mommy.

For Mother's Day this year, I wanted to give my mother something really special.  She deserves it...  we've continued to take over the majority of her living space, her free time, and (probably) her sanity.  However, my budget as a stay-at-home mom is super tight right now so the gift "from Felix" was the best kind of gift... homemade.  

I'm no gLeek...

...but I can't help falling for the adorable kids at PS22 & their amazing voices!  They sing with such heart and soul (and I don't mean that cheesy piano duet).

P.S.  I hope you set aside a few hours... Once you start watching one of these videos, you'll find ten more equally as good.  I also recommend their versions of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" and the Talking Head's "This Must Be The Place."  WOW!

Carly in the Kitchen: Last Night's Dinner

Falafel in Pitas with a Romaine Lettuce, Cucumber, Tomato, Red onion, & Tzatziki salad.  Served with sides of Tabouli and Garlic Naan.  YUM!

I must confess... all this stuff came from a box.  Falafel mix from the "international" aisle, Near East Tabouli, Garlic Naan right from the grocery store bakery, and pre-made Tzatziki.  

Carly in the Kitchen: Mint Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

I don't like to brag... but Ric Orlando once deemed me "the cheesecake queen" as he scooped handfuls of my cheesecake in to his Food Network Show Chopped winning palatte.  This was following quite a few glasses of wine and a pretty serious dance off... but none the less, my cheesecake recipe kicks major ass.

I adapted my Grandmother's vanilla cheesecake recipe a bit for the hubby's birthday, since he is a major fan of Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream.  My sister-in-law thinks I should sell this somewhere.  My husband thinks I should make it every weekend.  My scale says I should rip up this recipe and start doing crunches... you decide:

I went overboard with the decorations... but the taste was perfect.

Recipe after the jump...

Baby Making Music

Hi, my name is Carly and I have control issues.  Basically, I'm a control freak.  I like to plan everything out to the very tiniest detail and I have a hard time adjusting if it doesn't go this way.  I may seem like I'm a totally go-with-the-flow kinda gal... but that's all part of the act; I'm using my self-control to make sure you don't notice that inside I'm silently freaking out, thinking "Oh my god, we're running 8 and a half minutes late."

Happy Birthday, to my Baby Daddy!

It's Terry's birthday today. 

He's not only a great father...  he's also my best friend.  He thinks my jokes are funny, he prefers me without makeup on, and he'll even kiss me when I have morning breath.  Not to mention what an amazing job he did as a birth coach and what a phenomenal job he's doing on our new home!  There's no one in the world I'd rather go through life with as my partner-in-grime... yes, that's G-R-I-M-E.  We change a lot of poopy diapers together.

Happy Birthday, babe.  Love you so much!

Does YOUR baby sleep through the night yet?

Pppshhh... yeah, right.  Felix is quite a spiritied little fellow.  He giggles, kicks,  and "talks" in long, silly run-on sentences.  He also screams like hell with a mere gesture towards his co-sleeper.

In reality, I think the sleeping baby is some sort of urban legend - made up by Hallmark and the P.T.O. - to make you buy more parenting books.  Yet people are constantly asking that question... "does your baby sleep through the night yet?"  As if sleeping through the night is some sort of developmental goal the baby is bound to reach.  It can make a new mom wonder "what's wrong with my kid?  Why can't he get a peaceful 12 hours like those rest of the "good" babies?   

Home Sweet Home

If you've read my bio blurb (to the right), you'll notice the term "(pseudo) homeowner."  That might be confusing to some of you... here's the skinny.

A view of our house from the street,
prior to any renovations.

A little less than a year ago, Terry and I bought a house in the teeny riverside town of Coxsackie.  We paid less than some people spend on a car - knowing our renovations would basically double that cost - and in the end we'd have a sweet little place to call home for a bit of money and whole lot of blood, sweat, and tears... all of which have actually been shed during the restoration process.  Terry doing the sweating and bleeding (thanks to a major tumble down the stairs).  I'm responsible for the tears (thanks to my child-bearing-hormones and a forever changing move-in date).

So... what's going on inside this diamond-in-the-rough?

The Wild Rover

I've been Irish for exactly 551 days now... well, Irish by marriage.  (You can take the girl out of the pizza shop, but you can't take the Italian out of the girl).  Anyway... this has been my favorite Irish song since before I was a Lynch.  I'm a sucker for songs that involve a good crowd clap.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Recipe: Harmony Chili

I've made this chili twice.  Both times it came out excellent (unlike my potato soup disaster).  The recipe is my own creation (sort of); it came from the marriage of several chili recipes.  I've named this creamy concoction "Harmony Chili" because it's a beautiful blend of chili recipes and one of the main ingredients is hominy.  Get it?  It's like Pauly D trying to say "Harmony." 

Ingredients:

I forgot to take a picture of the chili the day I made it.
This is my bowl of leftovers a few days later.  If there was more left,
I certainly would've filled the bowl.

Drizzle of Olive Oil
2 Chicken Breasts
1 Small White Onion
2+ Cloves of Garlic
Black Pepper, Parsley, Oregano (to taste)

1 Can - Cream of Chicken
1 Can - Chicken Broth (small can, 4.5 oz)
1 Can - Green Chiles
2 Cans - Northern White beans
1 Can - Hominy
1 Can - Yellow Corn
1 Pack - Taco Seasoning
5-6 Shakes of Worchestshire Sauce
2 Pinches of Chili Powder (or to taste)

(Sour Cream, Shredded Chedder Cheese, and Cornbread Recommended as garnish/sides).

A certain amount of wine...

Me.  Flask swigging while navigating traffic.
Don't worry, I wasn't driving.

I miss being drunk.  There, I said it.  With the pregnancy and now breast feeding, it's been a year since I caught a good buzz.  I'm not even a big drinker (at least not by comparison to some of my compadres), but every now and again I feel the need to get totally sloppy.

Being drunk gives you the right... almost the obligation... to do ridiculous things like devour a cheeseburger and fries at 3 a.m., sob uncontrollably to your girlfriends for no good reason, or take facebook photos of yourself in a public restroom.  Don't even get me started on what you SINGLE drunks can get away with!  I mean, the three-way-kiss wouldn't even exist if it wasn't for vodka.  (Ok, maybe the world could've done without that last one... but you get my drift).

Drunk dancing is what I miss most.  I got a birthday card once with the saying...

Three Months Ago.

After reading my girl Anne's post on the arrival of the adorable August McGrath (born 2 weeks after Felix's debut), I realized I've yet to write about this monumental moment in my little Lynch family.  So thanks, Annie, for the inspiration.

The task of putting it all down is daunting.  I've always been able to express myself in writing pretty easily... but this is one story I can't seem to capture the magnitude of with words alone.  I put together this little video for my family and have yet to share it online due to the extreme personal nature of this very special time.  But, as an artist and a proud mother, I have decided to put this intimate account on display for the whole world-wide-web to see.  In honor of Felix turning 3 months old today, here is the story of how he joined our family...

Save the Arts!

Join the Facebook Cause By Clicking HERE. 

Save Art in the Coxsackie-Athens School District !

Major cuts are being proposed in Coxsackie-Athens Schools. Sadly, this will effect the Arts - specifically a devastating cut in the Elementary Art program.

review: Buy Buy Baby.

The name totally turned me off at first.  I have enough trouble tooting the horn of big corporate chains... but to be so upfront about the fact that they're cramming commerce down your throat is disgusting.   It's as if they're whispering "buy more... you need more stuff... you'll only be a good mom if you buy this stupid gadget your baby doesn't really need..." upon entrance.  So I avoided the place until...

A whole new woman.

Me, Felix, and Jackson Pollock Number 12.

"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born.

She never existed before.

The woman existed, but the mother - never.

A mother is something absolutely new."

color.

I changed the look of the blog because I really love color.  A lot.  I love it in art, in flowers, in people, in clothes...

although I do envy those women that pull of that black / white wardrobe - they always look so chic.  I, on the other hand, have Punky Brewster's closet.  An ex-boyfriend once told me that I reminded him of Punky Brewster on acid.  I think he was trying to be romantic and complimentary... at least that's the way I took it at the time.  Hmmmm...

Remember when Punky Solei Moon Frye did the talk show circuit, discussing her breast reduction.  It made me identify with that spunky little brunette even more.  Not that I've had a breast reduction...

Hey, remember when Cherie taught us not to hide in refrigerators?  Touching.

Anyway, the new blog look feels more like Springtime... which I can not wait for.  So here's my attempt at welcoming some warmth.

you say it's your birthday.

I turned 28 yesterday.  To be honest, the first few hours of my birthday were beyond awful.  Felix was screaming as hard as he possibly could muster, knees to chest, reeling from horrible gas pains in his tiny buddha belly.  By 4 am, it was all I could handle.  I was trying to keep my cool, knowing that he can feel my energy and my upset will only lead to more of his... but tears were pouring uncontrollably from my tired eyes.  I felt so helpless.  Most of Felix's crying is done with eyes tightly clenched, but every now and then he would open his eyes as if to plead "please, mama, make my belly better."  It broke my heart.  Terry, as an unspoken birthday gift, did all the midnight changes - he swept him away, knowing my angst, and eventually Felix calmed down enough to sleep for a good few hours. 

The rest of my actual birthday was a bit brighter.  Terry stayed home from work so we could spend the day together.  We had planned on attempting to take Felix to lunch with us, but after the rough night we were both a bit afraid of him.  So we ordered some takeout and took a really long drive through Columbia and Dutchess County instead - Felix napped while we toured the riverside and backroads, fresh with newly fallen snow.  We saw a bald eagle (I think) and some really cool white horses, beautiful clashing with the snow.

Today was a whole new ball game.  More on that later. 

P.S.  Have you heard Carmelo Anthony was traded to the Knicks?  Yeah, I don't really care either... but my husband has asked me that question at least 18 times today and I thought I should talk about something more than my kid for once.

un-swooned.

So... the man and I had a slight change in plans for our Valentine's Day reservation.  Sort of bummed, but it'll still be a really nice time...

potato soup for soul

Sometimes there are small moments in your day that feel like a breath of fresh spring air... I had one of those moments a few days ago while peeling potatoes.  Terry put the baby down for a nap as I straightened the house and started a pot of soup, preparing for a visit from some much adored long lost girlfriends.  As I sat at the kitchen table, sipping on the half cup of coffee I allow myself every few days (oh, the joys of breastfeeding), my husband sat down with me - his cup of coffee in hand and silence ringing throughout the house.  He offered to finish peeling the potatoes as I started to chop the onions... so we sat there, alone, drinking our coffee, peeling and chopping, talking about something I don't quite remember... and everything just felt peaceful.

Jump to the next day.  Yesterday.  I was putting the finishing touches on the lunch spread set out for my girlfriends.  I actually had makeup on and felt semi-human in my pre-pregnancy jeans (not sweatpants, thank you very much).  I put the homemade potato soup on the stove to reheat and simmer and... WWWHHHHAAAAHHHH... Felix starts screaming wildly from upstairs.  He's hungry.  Again.  So I rush to his aide.  I feed him, burp him, feed him, burp him, change his diaper, wash his face and hands, apply some lotion, change his clothes... and that's when I smelled it.

Burning.

TO DO: 

Make Valentine's Day Reservation... CHECK.

Swoon

Warren Street - Hudson, NY

It'll be the first time Terry and I have ate a meal alone since Felix was born (thank you, Grandma Rae, for babysitting). 

I normally am not a Valentine's Day person.  I'm not anti-Valentine's Day though.  I can recognize the fact that it's a Hallmark holiday... but I am in love with the idea of love, so an excuse to celebrate that simple feeling is a nice sentiment.  Sue me, I'm a Picses, it's in my gills. 

Anyway...  I'll restaurant review it next week.  I have been there twice already.  The first time for champagne and an espresso with Ashley Judd.  Ok, not WITH Ashley Judd.  But she WAS there at the same time while my friends Meegan and Kevin joined me at the bar. 

This time, the only stars that will matter are the ones in my hubby's eyes.  Wow, that was so sickening sweet.

UPDATE:  Check out why we never made it to Swoon... or at least not yet.

Adventures in Babywearing, A Product Review

In my constant efforts as a mildly "off beat mama" I've come across this term three thousand times:  BABYWEARING.  It sounds far more serious than it really is... which is basically slinging your kid in some sort of wrap/backpack/papoose and hanging out.   Ok, so babywearing is a bit more intense than just using the kind of carrier my Dad used to haul me around Disney circa 1984 - but I just can't get used to idea that I am wearing my baby.  It makes Felix sound like an accessory... like Paris Hilton's chihuahah.  Or Nicole Richie's sunglasses.  Or Renee Zelweggers "Either-I-just-ate-a-lemon-or-I'm-a-complete-bitch-face."

Today's Love Song for Felix

While dancing with Felix today, this song took on a whole new meaning for me.

"I wanna love ya
and treat you right.
I wanna lova ya
every day and every night.
We'll be together
with a roof right over our heads.
We'll share the shelter
of my single bed."

On a side note... DAMN, I miss live music. We'll be back in action soon though. When the snow melts, it'll be team Lynch on the festival circuit. Bigger and better than ever! So pumped to start using these.

Some sort of a book review.

Little Bee:  A Novel

By Chris Cleave

2009

This was the first book I read post natal.  Well, actually, it's the first novel I read post natal.  The other books were on breastfeeding, diaper rash, and calming colicky babies...  but I did more like frantically fact check as Felix whaled confused newborn rage in the background.  Little Bee was for ME.  Read during times of calm, while he swang beside me or even as he rested on my chest at naptime.  Perhaps my opinion of this book would be different if it had been read at a different juncture in my life... but I guess it's that way of all books, read at all times. 

welcome to babeland.

So here I am, blogging in babeland.  Not sure exactly where this is going, but I'm thinking it'll be a place to...

 - share some mommy research
 - trade recipes that don't include standard measurements (I don't follow directions well).
 - talk about the art / books / music / restaurants / wine / whatever that I'm currently in to
 - somehow manage to connect to the outside world

... all without waxing my eyebrows, which seems increasingly difficult to fit in to my routine.  Hence the new haircut... bangs can be very forgiving of forehead pimples and a few stray hairs.