Don't Tell the Boss

When I delivered my son Noah seven months ago,  I got the breastfeeding speech:

"Make sure you breastfeed your baby," lactation consultants told me.  "Your milk has all the nutrients your baby needs."

True, it is imperative that new mothers at least try to breastfeed.  Breastmilk is easily digestible, has an abundance of nutrients that can boost a baby's immune system, it helps a baby grow...  and has so many other benefits. 

But be wary: Breastmilk is not always nature's perfect food.

Turns out many new mothers are Vitamin D deficient. 

You know... vitamin D.  

You get it mainly from milk products and spending some time outside in the sun.  But many women, especially African Americans, are lactose intolerant.  No milk... no vitamin D.

In addition to this, those of us who live in northern cities with long winters lack sunshine time... so no vitamin D source there.

And lack of vitamin D can expose your child to a rare childhood disorder called rickets.  It's the weakening of the bones that often goes undetected for several months.

In a story that I produced for our 10 p.m. newscast tonight, we interviewed a mom whose two year old daughter was diagnosed with rickets after a minor fall caused the little girl to break her leg.

And hear from the mom of a preemie, who is now supplementing her breastmilk with vitamin D to make sure her new baby has an extra fighting chance.

This is a story new moms really need to hear.

Because while wonderful...  even breastmilk sometimes need that extra boost.

When my best friend Betty and I became parents, we had a laundry list of things we swore we would never do, out of fear of becoming totally "uncool".

Topping that list:  We swore we would never drive minivans.  Swore that we would never give up on mani/pedis.  And swore we would never become "cookie pushers" at work. 

Well, I guess two out of three ain't bad.

Because now that my little Ashley is a Girl Scout Brownie,  I'm hawking cookies like my life depends on it. 

So this is how the other half lives...

I admit, I used to secretly laugh at moms who would get into cookie selling battles at the office.  The people who would cry fowl over territorial rights: "Don't sell your cookies in the sales department, and I won't try to sell mine in the newsroom."

Of course, I've always supported these moms myself.  It's pretty hard to turn down Girl Scout coookies.   I mean, have you ever tasted a Caramel deLight?  Ever dipped a Thin Mint in vanilla ice cream?  Ever dipped a Peanut Butter Pattie... in peanut butter?

My kid wants to sell a thousand boxes so she could win an iPod Nano.  I told her the only way that would happen is if Mommy gives up her job for a week and we set up a booth at the local supermarket.  And that's not going to happen.

I also told her we should really go out and sell the darn cookies door-to-door so she could learn a lesson about what it means to earn something in life.  But with sub-zero temps in the forecast for the next couple of weeks or so, that's probably not going to happen either.

So Mommy's running around the office, hat-in-hand, schlepping cookies. 

And between my two kids, my husband, my friends and my job, I'm overdue for my mani/pedi.

Hmmm. 

Exactly how much mileage can you get on those minivans anyways??

Not for nothing... but I cooked up such good food this holiday season, I almost scared myself.

At Thanksgiving it was a feast of Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, a nutty brussel sprout dish, and ham. 

Then at Christmas, prime rib with black eyed peas and rice, scalloped potatoes, broccoli gratin, a shrimp dish, corn, and an encore performace of the brussel sprouts.

All of my guests ate hearty... and raved over the food.   So I didn't even notice that it turns out my daughter Ashley, barely ate anything at either holiday spread.

I was asking her yesterday what she thought of Mommy's turkey and prime rib and all that stuff.

"I didn't like it," she said.  "Didn't eat it."

I asked her, "Well, what did you eat?"

She responded, "Bread, corn, some rice."

I was dumbfounded.  While I was scurrying around the kitchen making sure my guest were well fed, it turns out that my seven-year-old was turning up her nose at most of the food put in front of her.  I should have seen it coming.

Turns out the food I cooked was just too sophisticated for my Ashley.  I mean, how many kids her age really look forward to a slice of prime rib with all the fixings?  And turkey and ham aren't really her thing, unless it's processed and served between two slices of bread with a little mayo.

I feel kind of bad... but I do know that eventually my kid's tastes will evolve.

But until that happens, next holiday season I'll consider all the traditional dishes....

.... with a side of chicken fingers and tater tots just for her.