Author Alexandra Retana blogs about her book, medicine, kids, life, and whatever else comes to mind
"Will you promise me something?" I said to my daughter. "When you're big, will you remember this moment?" We were lying on the couch on the porch, as part of our whole "blissful afternoon" enterprise. My husband was putzing around the grill, my son was drawing something and humming to himself, and my daughter and … Continue reading Eau de Baby Feels
This summer, I decided that I missed my kids and wanted to spend more time with them, so I bit the bullet and gave the nanny the summer off, dramatically cut my hours (flinching as I await blowback from my partners), and decided that I would be the one spending blissful summer afternoons eating strawberries … Continue reading Shut Up About Eighteen Sweet Summers
Now, I think beets are good. Tasty root vegetable, sweet, crunchy, happily colored. Around here people are put off by them because they're pink. And when I used to bring borscht, the traditional Eastern European beet soup, for lunch, invariably, there would someone who'd look in my tupperware, and go, "Ewww, that's pink, what is that?" What … Continue reading Unprecedented recipe post
'Tis the season. The season to assert my Jewishness, like, hard. Christmas season. Okay, let me correct that. I don't actually need to assert my Jewishness per se because I am Jewish AF as far as ethnic identities go, but it's my kids. Take the Catholic spouse and add to that NOT living in Brookline, MA where … Continue reading Tis the season for identity crisis: the Elf dilemma
The other day, I was at CVS with my son. As we were checking out, my son picks up a box of Dayquil that was dangling enticingly by the register, and says, "Mommy, maybe we should pick up a box of this." I said, "Are you planning on getting sick?" He said, "I was thinking … Continue reading
I gotta be honest with you, folks, I think parenting has gotten pretty darn ridiculous. No one can do everything that you're supposed to do to raise well-adjusted and healthy children. NO ONE. I'm taking a stand. I need to unburden my soul. I am hereby confessing all the things I am doing wrong. 1. … Continue reading Mom confessions: 6 things I do wrong ALL the time
10 years ago, I was finally--FINALLY!--about to be finished with training, and was looking for a job. By the way, I would just like to note, as I already have to my friends and family, how it's absolutely amazing that a person can make it to age 32, and not know how to look for … Continue reading Pump it up: pumping at a job interview
Doctor mommy is super duper unhappy today in many different ways, bodily and emotionally, for various reasons. Last night was high on the craptastic scale as far as nights go, even though it was a decent weekend... until last night. As parents, we he had to face the ever difficult decision of when to take … Continue reading A pain in the neck: a story of a bad day
It looks like I might finally have a cool story to tell about my daughter. I have looked at my daughter, and scratched my head because, like, whose child is she, really? Can't be mine. She so athletic and grippy, like I never was and never will be. And she is all about the pink … Continue reading Teaching your kids to appreciate art: my trip to RISD museum with my daughter
One of the first things I did when I got a job that paid money was hire a cleaning lady. It was a given that I would, since I hate housework, and am no good at it. I actually suck pretty hard at it. As time went on, I outsourced more and more stuff. Some … Continue reading Mommy guilt: the struggle is real
And Why Not! 