One Maid A' Milking

Where Are The Parents

So let me start by saying that, when it comes to the world of art, I am all for "L'art pour l'art". I try to keep an open mind when an artist goes avant garde, even though it may seem a little over the top. I really try.

Today's scandal is circulating around Miley Cyrus, who, at the very vulnerable age of 15, posed for the cover of Vanity Fair without any clothes, draped only in a sheet. Her back is fully exposed and, while everything else is covered, the image is pretty provocative. And, again, she is fifteen and a role model to more than a few, very young and impressionable girls.

Other shots in the magazine are a little more subdued, showing her with her famous (D-list) father and a few tamer pictures. And, of course, the reaction to such a young girl in such a suggestive image is completely expected, and the cynic in me believes that may have been the exact intention (forget about homeroom and homecoming...she must think of her career).

Also as expected, everyone is back tracking. Miley claims to be embarassed, the parents claim to have had no idea, and apologies abound. On the other side, Vanity Fair and Annie Lebowitz (the famed photographer and architect of the shoot) are both discounting the parents' feigned ignorance, and even going so far as to produce footage showing the process of the shoot, with everyone laughing, smiling, and perfectly okay with what is transpiring.

All of this begs the question, who's to blame?

Not Miley...she is living in quite an interesting little vacuum and entirely too young to make such judgement calls when she is surrounded by adults telling her what to do. When I think of who I was in 9th grade, I just assumed everyone had my best intentions in mind all the time...she probably does as well.

Not Disney....an easy scapegoat, but not in this case.

Vanity Fair....not exactly a moral high ground, but they were also not the ones in charge of how the shoot played out.

Not even the photographer....I realize Annie Lebowitz is insanely popular (I'm actually not a huge fan), but she is also well respected for her involvement and interaction with her subjects. She apparently shares everything she shoots with them....no surprises, in other words.

Which leaves us with the parents. They were there the entire time, they are her guardians, and they let her down in this one.

Am I wrong?

I really dislike The View, but I think Whoopi Goldberg really got this one right:

So, I'm Thinking About Having a 3rd Child

According to another recent study, chocolate (especially dark chocolate), significantly lowers your chances of developing preeclampsia during pregnancy.

According to a Yahoo News! report:

Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is rich in a chemical called
theobromine, which stimulates the heart, relaxes smooth muscle and dilates blood vessels, and has been used to treat chest pain, high blood pressure, and hardening of the arteries, Dr. Elizabeth W. Triche of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut and colleagues write.

Yum.
And, as far as a third child goes....I was kidding. Now, will someone please help my mother off the floor, she surely must have fainted.

Finding Your Way Through the Trenches

If you have a child under 6 months old, you are at a stage in parenting I like to refer to as “the trenches”. You and your baby fill the days on a pretty steady schedule of feeding, napping, and diaper changing. However, as the clock slowly ticks by, and after 3,000 rounds of rattle shaking, board books, and peekaboo, you might find yourself wondering, “Now what?”.

You may be tired, bored, confused as to how to better pass the time, or all of the above. If you are, you are certainly not alone. I remember thinking of reasons to go for another walk, talk on the phone, or find something (anything) for us to do to break up the monotonous routine of the day.

I also remember eagerly looking forward to the next stage of development, one that may include more interaction between mother and child, and more things to experience, learn, and adapt. What I failed to realize (the toddler years were yet to educate me), is that these times are so short, I should just learn to live in the moment.

For that reason, the experience I had with my second child was much different. I appreciate the fact that temper tantrums, constant running and hiding, and downright orneriness are not yet a part of his day. The days now fly, and, ironically, I wish the time
wouldn’t move quite so fast.

And I know there are more than a few grandparents out there who know exactly what I am talking about.

For those of you in the trenches, here are a few things to keep in mind while you spend your days:

5) This child will some day be a teenager, which means not only will they not rely on you so much, they might also pretend not to know, understand, or even like you (the last will only be pretend…I promise).

4) In a few months, they will be running, jumping, hiding, and terrifying / exhausting you to no end. And just wait until they learn how to climb the stairs….

3) Doesn’t it seem like yesterday when your world was consumed by nights out on the town, with worries contained to clothes, friend drama, and work deadlines? It probably seems like it went by quickly (and you may even long for those days). Apply that quick passage of time and longing to revisit it, to your child’ early years, and then multiply it times 100.

2) Live in the moment. Sure, I grew tired of reading Goodnight, Gorilla after the 1,000 time on any given day (it has no words!), but when I go back to it now, I still smile. Try to live in every moment, even if it’s the same one….over and over and over.

1) You have no way of realizing how much you are doing for your child by creating a safe and loving environment. They can’t tell you and though they will not remember all your time and commitment to them at this age, they are already enjoying your care and influence, and, most importantly, they know they are loved.

So, do not feel guilty if you find yourself watching the clock, or giving the baby to your husband the minute he walks through the door….no one ever said parenting was easy (even at this age), but it is the hardest, best job you’ll ever have.

Monday's Meals

This recipe comes straight from Williams Sonoma, which means it is unnecessarily complicated (is it really awful to use lemon juice?), requires state of the art cooking accessories (available only at their store), and amazingly delicious.

Also, would you believe this is a kids recipe?? They tout this as a fun and easy kid recipe, though recommend parents stay nearby for some help.

Okay, at what age should we expect our children to cut lemon with a sharp knife, operate a juicer, and press and chop garlic?

I don’t think we’ve quite hit that milestone on our end.

However, much like teen Jeopardy, this Williams Sonoma recipe may be one I can actually pull off.

Glazed Baby Back Ribs

When you serve these delicious ribs, be sure to pass around plenty of paper napkins!

Ingredients:
1 large lemon
1 cup tomato ketchup
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 large garlic clove
2 pounds (2 racks) baby back ribs

Directions:
Before you start be sure an adult is nearby to help.

1) Position an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2) Line a large roasting pan with aluminum foil.

3) Begin the glaze- Put the lemon on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut the lemon in half crosswise. Twist the lemon halves over the cone of a citrus juicer to juice it. Pick out the seeds, measure out 3 tablespoons juice, and then pour it into a small saucepan.

4) Add the ketchup, honey, Worcestershire sauce, butter, ginger and coriander to the saucepan.

5) Chop the garlic- Put the garlic clove on the cutting board. Place the flat part of a metal spatula over the garlic clove and press down hard with the heel of your palm to break and loosen the papery skin. Don't worry if you smash the garlic a little. Peel off the skin and throw it away. Using the knife, chop the garlic into tiny pieces. Add the garlic pieces to the saucepan.

6) Boil the glaze- Set the saucepan over medium heat and bring the ketchup mixture to a boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Turn off the heat.

7) Coat and cook the ribs- Put the ribs in the foil-lined roasting pan. Pour the glaze over the ribs, turning the ribs to coat both sides with the glaze. Arrange the ribs meaty side up. Cover the roasting pan tightly with another layer of aluminum foil, put it in the oven and bake for 1 hour.

8) Remove the ribs- Ask an adult to help you open the oven and carefully slide out the oven rack. Wearing oven mitts, carefully lift the roasting pan from the oven and place it on a heatproof counter or other surface.

9) Brown the ribs- Using the tongs, carefully pull back the aluminum foil from the roasting pan. Be careful: The foil and steam will be very hot! Throw away the foil. Ask an adult to help you put the roasting pan with the ribs back in the oven. Bake the ribs until they are browned and the meat is very tender, about 1 hour more. Ask an adult to help you remove the roasting pan from the oven. Separate the ribs

10) To serve, let the ribs cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes. Using the tongs, transfer the rib racks to a cutting board. Ask an adult to help you now. Holding the ribs steady with a meat fork, use a knife to slice between the bones and separate the individual ribs. Pile the ribs onto a serving platter and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.

Kid Clip

Britain's Got Talent seems to produce as many nutty performances as the American version, but this particular kid had me absolutely engaged. Funny, entertaining, and much older than his age, this is clearly going to be someone we'll (or, at least England) will see again.

Enjoy!