"Research shows..."

I read the other day that (and I'm paraphrasing here) that in one study children who ate only instant oatmeal for breakfast ate 80% more calories throughout the day than children who ate a veggie omelet and juice for breakfast (steel-cut oatmeal fared a little better). The conclusion was that it's important to include protein at breakfast.

Um, ok?

I'm ok with having protein for breakfast, but I have a few problems with this report, especially with the concluding statement. Did both meals have the same number of calories? Same amount of fat? Did they try adding protein powder to the oatmeal? How many kids were in the study? What were their eating habits before? Did the study conclude that we need protein at breakfast, or was that the magazine's inferrence? How do they account for steel-cut oatmeal's difference?

This is just one example of the millions of health-related blurbs we get bombarded with every day, each with authoratative "research" behind it. Too often I get sucked in, but this time I just got annoyed. And I had to share.

Talk amongst yourselves...

Meeeem-rieeeeees

I saw this on Susan's blog and it looked like fun. Participate if you like. Ignore it if you don't.

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn’t matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It’s actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I’ll assume you’re playing the game and I’ll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don’t want to play on your blog, or if you don’t have a blog, I’ll leave my memory of you in my comments.

Atty's feet smell like cheese

They do! It's the strangest thing. I guess it's because he sweats milk-based formula. Oh, and he has started smiling. This is especially fun. And he's cooing and gurgling more.

He had his 4-month checkup a couple days ago, and they said he's just perfect, which of course we already knew. He also got more shots, which he didn't like very much. But he's taking it like a trooper.

Blessing Day

Atty was blessed over the 4th of July weekend. James's mom and my sister Susan and her family were able to come in from out of town, and we were happy to have our friend Brian K. join us in church for the blessing.

He was blessed with a keen sense of humor, that he would not suffer any long-term effects from his prematurity, that he would grow physically and spiritually, and that he would accomplish the goals he sets for himself. At first we thought he would cry through the blessing, but he stopped fussing as soon as James started talking. Good boy. :)

After church we had lunch in our friends the Lewises' back yard, since our living room is too small to accommodate everyone. Plus there was room and toys for the kids to play on, which was great until the sprinklers came on and trapped my nieces Aubrey and Ella in the playhouse. Luckily they both survived the ordeal.

Here are more pictures from the luncheon:

Atty and Nana

Susan and Alice

Atty looking confused and Grandma Poulson smiling behind him

New Photos

Sorry for the long blog silence. I just kept forgetting to transfer photos off the camera. Here are some of my favorites from the last few weeks:

Three-month birthday, chillin' with dad

Looking precious

Sporting a "Magnum P. I." look, courtesy Carrie & Devin North (shoes from Marian W.)

Wearing a piggie onesie I embroidered

In the pram

Unemployed!

As of 10:00 this morning, I am officially no longer a Church employee. I just had an exit interview with the HR guy, signed a paper, and I was done. I just need to mail them my ID badge and parking pass. My jobless state is only temporary, though. On Monday I sign a freelance contract with my former supervisor, which allows me to continue working on my projects and essentially do the same job I was doing before, just part-time and from home now. I won't have benefits, but James's insurance will still cover us.

I'm not sure how much money I'll actually make, but we have lots of room to cut back our expenses. And if this job doesn't give me enough work, we can consider other options. If you know anyone who's looking for a freelance editor/writer, let me know.

In Atty news, he has been completely off oxygen for a couple weeks now. He still has his little heart murmur, so we met with the cardiologist this week to get on their radar. The doctor said the murmur is small enough that it's not worth treating at this point. We'll go back in toward the end of the year to follow up.

The poor guy still has acid reflux, and he's been a little constipated this week, but he's over 10 lbs now and growing steadily. I'm grateful to be able to stay home with him from now on.

Not feeling it today

I was going to say the "babymoon" is over, but really I'm just having a bad day. I'm exhausted and have a headache and Atty has been gassy and fussy but is sleeping at the moment. I fell asleep after the 7 am feeding and had a dream that I came home from somewhere and realized I didn't have Atty with me. I thought I had left him in his stroller on the bus, but just as I was freaking out and trying to call UTA, my friend Margaret called to say I'd left him in his stroller at her house and was I ok? Not a good dream.

Two days ago all was well, mostly. I had us both fed and dressed by 10 am, cleaned up the house, washed the dishes and made the bed, and got some other work done. I felt on top of things and very capable. Atty was still gassy, but I was in better shape to deal with it. Now I'm finding myself wandering around the house wondering where I've left stuff and trying to remember what I was doing with it in the first place.

I told Atty this morning, "Sometimes taking care of you isn't very fun. But I always always always love you and am so grateful you're here." I guess that about sums it up.