oh crud

I don't have anything in my mouth, especially not a sticker

I just remembered these photos that my friend Jenny took of Viola on Valentine's Day while she was helping me figure out our new camera. There are more (without stickers in mouths) over in the photos section. Jenny photographed us as a new family last year and is going to shoot us again next weekend (she has a new website for her fabulous photography business here). This gorgeous red sweater was knitted for Viola by her great-grandma.

Single Parenting, Round Two

Perhaps you recall my trials and tribulations last spring when Joe went out of the country for work.

This time, he's gone for longer and I've just (on Monday!) started my new job. I'm still getting used to the commute, which is why it took me two hours and two buses to get there this morning, when it should take one hour and one bus.

And on the way home I realized I left my car keys at the office...in Seattle. Lucky for me, Tory the super-Nanny swooped in to get me in our other car. Tacoma Dome Station security assures me my car will be ok there overnight.

Meanwhile, Joe tells me the airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico is kind of a dump. He said something about a really bad sandwich.

The New Enemy

There were the first nine and three-quarters months of being parents, when we didn't have to carry around an epi-pen, and now there's the rest of our lives as parents, when we have to have one within reach at all times.

The enemy is sesame seeds, so close to Viola in this picture taken at the Greek Festival 3 weeks ago.

Yet, she didn't ingest them until today, when Joe mixed some tahini in to her oatmeal, at the suggestion of our baby food book ("great source of protein!"). Every horrifying allergy symptom followed, including vomiting, hives, wheezing, and swelling. And then, an ambulance ride, the pediatric emergency room, more vomiting, and a lot of waiting and watching. We were all back home by noon, Viola sufficiently doped up on Benadryl and steroids. In a few hours, the swelling had subsided and she was her old self.

The next time she is exposed to sesame -- on a hamburger bun, in hummus or salad dressing -- she probably won't get off so easy. That's where the epi-pen comes in. The doctor actually referenced Pulp Fiction when he wrote the prescription.

The irony is that we've been hyper-focused on possible food allergy since the beginning -- eliminating dairy from my diet for the first six months, waiting until 6 1/2 months to introduce solids, and carefully waiting 4 days after each new food to detect signs of allergy. Joe was allergic to wheat, dairy, and corn when he was a baby, so we decided to wait until after one year to introduce those foods. We never suspected sesame; I didn't even know it was an allergen. But according to this article, sesame is now in the top ten most allergic foods in the U.S.

And now I'm staring at a blinking cursor like Doogie Howser, wondering what bit of wisdom will wrap up this post. Insert something here about working-mom guilt and the longest drive from Olympia to Tacoma, and the leap of faith that is bearing a child. I actually thought when I sat down to write this post that I might save some parent somewhere from feeding their child sesame too soon, but the chances of that happening are probably close to nil. And so, you see, I read a little too much Hermann Hesse in high school to find anything uplifting to say at this point.

Hundred-year-old dust

We visited the demolition of the Luzon this morning. While we watched, I told Viola about Burnham and Root, Chicago, the World's Columbian Exposition, historic preservation, and a certain jerk named Eric Anderson.

For all the sadness, the demolition was pretty cool. There were some protesters early in the morning, but the crowd was mostly silent and sign-less when we were there.

And I finally had an excuse to take a picture of a Tacoma legend, that guy with the fancy bike and legwarmers (and, as Joe added, "ripped calves").

Still time for a last-minute save?

It seems like it's for real this time -- the Luzon building in downtown Tacoma is going to be torn down on Saturday. It makes me feel like I've been punched in the stomach, not so much because the building is so beautiful, but because it is such an important piece of Tacoma's history. The Luzon was designed by the Chicago architects Burnham and Root, who are among the fathers of the modern skyscraper. From www.historictacoma.net:

The Luzon was a transition building for the firm because it incorporated a relatively light steel framework along with traditional masonry construction. ... The property is listed on the local, state and national registers of historic places and is one of Tacoma’s foremost architectural treasures.

No time to upload photos (I'm on my lunch break), but do check them out here .

Aw, isn't she cute chewing on that coaster?

Yes, honey, she sure is! I sure am glad we decided to go out to dinner tonight, to give ourselves a break from cooking. Especially since I had to eat breakfast in the car and shoved a turkey bagel sandwich in my mouth for lunch like I was in a hot-dog eating contest. And then I had to...how is she doing with that coaster?

Viola: [chew, chew, smile, chew]

Here, pookie, let me just turn it around to another corner so you don't chew a piece off...yeah, so I had to go to four meetings today, one of which went four times longer than it was supposed to go, and one of the others was on the topic of unions, which are foreign to me, and was led by a person who didn't want to answer any questions...

Viola: [chew, chew, kick, kick, kick]

Hi, boo boo! Is that a yummy coaster? Who's a big girl, sitting in a highchair?...And I had a hard time pumping, because I really wasn't relaxed, but I think I got 10 ounces or so, how many are left in the fri...

Viola: [wheeze, wheeze, gag, gag, gaaaaaaag]

Me: Oh. Oh! Oh!

Joe: grabbing Viola, trying to lift her out of highchair, and hitting her on back

Me: undoing latch on highchair

Joe: picking up Viola

Viola: [cough!]

A blob of chewed-up coaster hits the floor.

Phew.