Quiche Fail: Or How I Utilized My Corporate Training to Overcome Common Household Disasters

Confession 1: This is the second time Dr. Strangelove has been referenced in a blog title here at Herecomesmybabyledbetter, but let's face it, it's a great title format.

Confession 2: Today I experienced a DRAMATIC and SPECTACULAR domestic failure.

Failure it seems, is often preceded by the illusion of success. After another day on the job, the afternoon continued with a sunny walk with the ladies. A good time was had by all.


Following the walk, Cleo and I came home and enjoyed her snack and a cuddle. In preparation for Cal to come home, I decided to make a quiche for dinner. Cleo played in her bouncy seat and I narrated the action.

"Cleo, this is how you blind bake a crust."
"Cleo, now I'm sauteing vegetables."
"Cleo, now I'm grating cheese."
And so on.

Too all appearances, we were experiencing domestic bliss. And then I had quiche fail. While putting my glorious quiche into the oven, I somehow dropped it while it was half-way onto the rack. It immediately dumped over, spilling the contents all over the oven door. Eggs and vegetables sizzled on the door, and oozed slowly out the bottom of the oven, spreading all over the floor.


Confession 3: I temporarily panicked, struck with a mixed urge to simultaneously laugh and cry. Cleo sensed my ire, and looked on anxiously.


Quickly I regained my senses and it occurred to me that I'm a capable lady, and if spending years in a corporate environment has taught me anything, it is how to leverage my resources, and how to unleash the potential of others to facilitate my passions. Or something like that.

Confession 4: I knowingly risked the health of Dan (via exposure to potentially salmonella infected raw eggs) in the name of "leveraging my corporate resources." But I felt it was a measured risk, as dog immune systems are tougher than ours when it comes to foodborne cooties. Cal insists that Dan eats poop, so my confidence level in Dan's ability to avoid illness is high.


Dan, you are my hero. I promise to make no disparaging remarks about you for at least one week. I love you.

Cleo the Hulk

In a storm of fury, Cleo unleashes the power of rapid growth, and bursts through the terrible bonds of jammy feet. Can she save her giraffe from the evil clutches of Dan?!? No one makes Cleo mad without paying the consequences. Tune in to the next episode of Cleo the Hulk for the shocking finale.

Mommy Day

"Mommy Day is for moms, and moms to be, to come to together in community serving each-other and supporting one and other into and in motherhood."

During my pregnancy I was lucky enough to join a group of ladies who were either pregnant or moms of newborns. We meet on a weekly basis in parks or each other's homes to share a meal and talk. They have been an incredible source of support and a wealth of information for Cleo and myself. These mommies make this whole parenting experience so much better and smoother than I could have imagined. I'm consistently grateful to them and the friendship we share.

This week we decided to take a group picture. The babes range in age from 13 months to 12 weeks old. Missing from the group picture are Margaret and Eli, as Eli, aka "Professor Tugboat," was napping during picture time. Cleo, for your future reference here's who is in the picture, from left to right: Caroline and Jubilee, Amber and Hayden (and Hayden is blocking the view of baby #2 expected in about two months), Laura and Dr. Spaceman (aka Avery), Keri and Ruby, Us, Kirsten and Owen, and Joy and Clover.

We hope to take regular group pictures to document the great time we have together, and the rapid and amazing ways our wee ones are changing.

Mother's Day! Yay!

Cleo, yesterday we celebrated our first Mother's Day. It was wonderful. You slept in, and when you woke up we cuddled while daddy made me a wonderful breakfast of banana-buckwheat pancakes and strawberry syrup. Concurrently, I made you a breakfast of mashed avocado. You made some pretty funny faces! Dan lingered closely, hoping you'd drop some. As I predicted, Dan's affection for you is growing along with your menu.

Confession: On the way back from Bartell's today, we stopped and bought a paper from our regular Real Change guy. I was carrying you in the bjorn. I walked away, reading the headlines and suddenly, thwack! I walked us into a street sign pole. You had a moment of shock, and then began a really sad scream. Baby girl, I'm so sorry! I've heard that all parents drop their babies at least once. So far that hasn't happened and I'm hoping this is the worst thing I do to you. I walked home rapidly, nervously groping your shoulder and arm to see if I had broken you. Once I got home I pulled you out of the bjorn and daddy checked you out. You were completely ok. I cried a little bit. Then I was ok too. Once again, I'm really sorry.

A Day at the races

Posted by: Cal

Today was Cleo's first day at the horse races. I wanted to take Cleo to make sure she stays connected with her roots. I grew up around horses, and was probably on the back of one by the time I was Cleo's age. My grandpa owned racehorses when I was a kid, and I have fond memories of being at the track, betting on the horses and watching them win. All very Hemmingway-esque.

So we took Cleo today, vowing that we make this a regular thing. Here are some pictures.

Oh yeah, I ended the day doubling the money I walked in with on a horse named Rosieontop. One of my grandpa's horses was named Proud Rosie. No relation.