The dirty dozen

A number of people have asked me for copies of the "dirty dozen" list, so I thought I'd post it. According to the Environmental Working Group, the most pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables (when grown conventionally) are :

1. Peaches - 2. Apples - 3. Bell peppers - 4. Celery - 5. Nectarines - 6. Strawberries - 7. Cherries - 8. Kale - 9. Lettuce - 10. Imported grapes - 11. Carrots - 12. Pears

Whenever possible, it is best to go organic when eating/buying foods on the dozen. Thankfully, the list has changed in the past few years, and one of my favorites (sweet potatoes!) are now on the list of least contaminated produce items. The least "Clean 15" are:

1. Onions - 2. Avocados - 3. Sweet corn - 4. Mangos - 5. Pineapples - 6. Asparagus - 7. Sweet peas - 8. Kiwis - 9. Cabbage - 10. Eggplants - 11. Papayas - 12. Watermelons - 13. Broccoli - 14. Tomatoes - 15. Sweet Potatoes

Speaking of plants, happy spring!! I have been waiting for the first asparagus of the year and would love to hear any recipe ideas.

UIC

Am thrilled to announce that I matched at University of Illinois at Chicago!! It was my first choice program and I'm super excited! They have a nationally recognized women's mental health program as well as amazing child/adolescent training. The location is about 15 minutes west of Amiel's office, so I (thankfully!!) won't need to be commuting far. Hooray!

Matched

Giddy-happy-scary-finally!! Starting this July, I will be (gulp) starting work as a psychiatry resident. I feared the news might send me into a panic, but I am actually quite excited. My mind is buzzing with all the arrangements I'll be needing to make in the upcoming months. I told Elijah Mommy is going to work like Daddy, and he gets to go to school like a big boy. He said ok, and while I anticipate some initial challenges, I know he will be more than ok.
Now that I know I've been accepted, I still need to find out where I'll be working. Of course I have a certain place in mind, so don't uncross those fingers just yet! Will find out Thursday and post an update then!

Newsflash - CORRECTION!!

Results of the match will be in next MONDAY, March 16th! In case you aren't aware, I applied for a position as a psychiatry resident at various Chicago hospitals. The match will determine whether or not I get a spot. Results will be emailed to me on Monday and I will be sure to immediately post them on the blog. My dear readers should be the first to know!!
As for other news, my camera is having some issues and we thus have no new pictures, sorry!! My potty-training romance was short-lived. After suffering an ear infection, Elijah received antibiotics and subsequently endured the type of GI distress which makes mere diapering a chore. I am pleased to report that everyone is now healthy.

Be sure to check back for the big news!

Candles, candles

Me: Elijah it's time for Shabbat!! What do we need?
Elijah: Candles, candles!! Step stool!
Me: (reaching for the step stool) Where are the candles?
Elijah: (pointing to the correct cabinet) There! There!
Me: What else do we need for Shabbat!
Elijah: Ya-een! Ya-yeen! (Hebrew for wine)

When Amiel came home, Elijah covered his eyes during the blessing over the candles and said "amen" after the Kiddush. He ate an enormous amount of challah and was careful to be sure each piece was smothered in butter. I am such the proud Jewish mother.

Funny kid

Elijah had just finished taking a shower and was standing naked on the bathroom floor when he peed on the bath mat the other night. When I explained that one is supposed to pee in the potty, he walked over to the toilet and eagerly lifted the seat. I helped him onto the step stool and he stood before the potty with a concentrated look. A few seconds passed and nothing happened. "It's not working!" Elijah exclaimed.

Potty talk

Based on my unscientific calculations, Elijah has now used close to 5000 diapers. With the exception of our brief gDiaper stint, those stinkers will be rotting in a landfill for the next 500 or so years. Pretty sad.

Despite my guilt over using disposable diapers, I was never in a hurry to 'potty train' Elijah. Disposables are super-convenient, and I'd heard that premature attempts at potty training are known to cause year long sagas of frustration and piled up laundry.

Parenting resources often discuss the importance of children 'showing interest' in the potty prior to training, but Elijah's interest in his potty had always involved its use as a receptacle for finger puppets and small notions. I finally hid the potty for fear that Elijah would start using it as a portable toy box.

Fast forward to last week. The mother of Elijah's friend tells us that little "Tinkerbell" is going to start potty-training. I try to sound optimistic, but all the while I'm thinking "This sounds way too complicated. I am, I mean Elijah is so not ready for this."

I think about it for the next day or two and start to reconsider. Back in the 1950's, nearly all kids were potty trained by 18 months, and that is still the norm in many cultures. At the very least, I can give Elijah the opportunity to express his interest. So I take the little guy to Target and bring him to the underwear section.

.......

Me: Look Elijah!! Big boy underwear, which one...

Elijah: Thomas!!

Me: (handing over the package of Thomas the Train briefs): Sure you don't want to look at the Diego ones or maybe the cars?

Elijah: (feverishly attempting to open the package): No, Thomas!

.......

Minutes later, Elijah has successfully opened the package and enthusiastically placed a pair of briefs over his head. By the time we hit the parking lot, he has a pair on each arm and is waving to passerbys as though perched upon a parade float. We load into the car and head home.

.......

Me: Elijah? Are you going to wear your new underwear?

Elijah: Ya, ya!

Me: Ok, but you wear the underwear instead of your diaper. No more diaper.

Elijah: No!

Me: But, Mommy wears underwear and Daddy wears underwear and Tinkerbell wears underwear...

Elijah: Ya, ya!! Elijah wear underwear too!!

.......

This morning, I retrieved the potty from exile in our seldom occupied whirlpool. Elijah was eager to try on his underwear, and he looked damn cute in them. I slipped out for a yoga class and left Amiel with a rag to mop the floor.

Upon my arrival home, Amiel reported that things had gone well. Elijah seemed to understand what was going on and was happy to sit on the potty (hooray!). He had yet to actually pee in it, but that didn't matter. We gave him big hugs and told him how proud we were.

Tomorrow I'll be off to buy potty books and more Thomas briefs. I'm ready to give it a try, but open to the possibility that this may not be the 'best' time. At the very least, I can assauge some of my disposable diaper guilt.

Our darling

Elijah continues to amaze us on a daily basis. He is 27 months old, and he is quite a little talent. He jumps like a frog and runs like there's no tomorrow. He can sing "Edelweiss" on his very own, and he hits every single note. While listening to Joshua Bell's "Short Trip Home" album, he pointed to the stereo and said, "Pretty song" I was tickled and asked him if he wanted a violin. He said "yes!" and I told him he can have one when he turns four.

Elijah has yet to bemoan our no-TV policy. With the occasional exception of CNN, the TV is rarely on during his waking hours. I was thrilled to watch the Inauguration with him, but his interest in it was fleeting. He's seen children's programming at friends' houses, but gets bored within few minutes.

The big exception to Elijah's TV indifference is the movie "Horton Hears a Who." In an effort to stave off the winter doldrums, I rented it earlier this month. Elijah was entranced by the tender pachyderm. He snuggled with Amiel on the couch for a good 25 minutes before moving on to his toys. Even then, he clearly continued to pay attention. I didn't know if I should laugh or grumble when he heard the line "Shut up, Horton!!" and then proceded to say just that. He continued to talk about the "elephant movie" for weeks and I finally decided to rent it a second time.

I won't deny the difficulty of adjusting to Elijah's increasing independence. He is no longer afraid to leave my side in public; one of his favorite parts about the Nature Museum playroom is unlatching the gate and bolting out at high speed. While driving Amiel to work yesterday, Elijah announced that there would be "no more talking!" To which I replied "Mommy and Dad can talk whenever they like," while stifling laughter.

He has been known to fling platefuls of food and yank on my hair, but I can't fault him for being two. I love the sound of his laughter. I love his fascination with Bananagram tiles and clocks. I love how he carries around Blue Doggy. I love watching him slurp smoothies through a straw and pick up raisins ("rose-ins) with his fingers.

I love the way his hair is matted down and damp after nap time. I love the subtle expression of amusement that crosses his face when I'm saying something ridiculous. I love how he runs down the hall to greet Amiel at the end of the day.

And that gorgeous hair. It's halfway down his back and blonder than ever. Gotta love that hair.

Playtime

Leave it to my Dad to choose a toy which blares "CATERPILLAR POWER!" and plays heavy metal guitar solos. "Is it driving you crazy yet?" Dad eagerly inquired. Thankfully the toy is not as annoying had he'd hoped for. Most importantly... Elijah loves it!

Elijah loves his toys and often prefers them to me. Yesterday we were reading books on the couch when he got bored and started looking for something new to do. He was clearly disinterested in me, so I decided to pull out a cookbook and make a grocery list. Within seconds he was demanding, "Close book, close book! Book on table!" I prefer not to be bossed around by a two year old, but I was kind of amused and decided to put the book down. A few minutes later, he was again busy with his toys and ignoring me. And yet, he immediately noticed when I went to retrieve the cookbook again. "No, book on table!" he shook his head as if I hadn't understood the first time.

Elijah is wonderful at playing independently. On most nights, I am able to cook an entire meal while he cooks in his kitchen or sits at the counter with a tub of Play Dough. He's not a very demanding kid, so it's hard not to indulge him.

Resolutions

I saw a hand written list of new year's resolutions on another blog and was inspired to do the same.