The Aquarium Chronicles: Log 2

The Aquarium Chronicles: Log 2

This morning, I tested my Ammonia, PH, Nitrate, and Nitrite levels today and everything looked to be alright! I swapped out a gallon of the salt water for fresh water, because my salinity levels were a little too high. The people at filtered aquatics said my salinity levels were absolutely perfect, and that I was ready to take home some fishes!

I had originally planned to get a clownfish, a six-stripe wrasse, and a blue damsel, but the latter two weren't currently for sale. So, I opted to get a second clown (I read they do well in pairs) and a fish called a "royal gramma". They bagged them up, and we were on our way home.

I introduced all the fish at the same time, since none of them will have claimed territories yet so there would be no threat of aggression, and they seemed to do just fine.

Right away, the royal gramma found its hidey-hole and wouldn't come out, even for food. Eventually I got him to skim the bottom for pellets that the clowns had missed. Gradually, he got braver and braver, venturing out a little further each time. It has only been about 5 hours and he's already swimming freely about the tank.

The clowns, as expected, took to the space (forgive the pun) swimmingly. They stayed pretty close to each other for the first few hours, but are currently exploring on their own.

After I put them in the tank, I spent a little while watching them to try and come up with names for them. I decided on Genevieve and D'artagnon for the clowns, and Calypso for the gramma. So far, they seem to be enjoying their new home.

 I see you, Calypso!

 Exploring the tank a bit.

 My favorite shot from today. Calypso's seriously a model.

 D'artagnan was particularly interested in his reflection...

 "Hey, Geni! You gotta check this out! We got clones!"

 The fascination didn't last as long as I thought it would...

 I think he's happy here!

A list of things that make me happy.

1. Ballgowns.
2. Loft apartments.
3. Clownfish.
4. Squirrels chasing each other.
5. Twinkle lights.
6. Playstation 2 games.
7. Naming inanimate objects for no reason.
8. Trying a new ingredient on a Subway and it tastes even better than before.
9. Perfume that doesn't make you gag.
10. Not realizing you're almost finished with a book you started an hour ago.
11. Cuddling with every blanket and fluffy pillow you own when your heater breaks on a cold day.
12. Quiktrip's Pumpkin Spice Cappuccino and a cinnamon roll for breakfast. 
13. Mommy coddling when you're sick.
14. Canaries.
15. Vintage bird cages.
16. Audrey Hepburn movies.
17. Decorating an aquarium.
18. Actually feeling confident about a test.
19. Watching Dance Moms to reassure yourself there are others crazier than you.
20. Those mini wind-tornadoes that blow leaves around in the Fall.
21. Surprise visits from loved ones.
22. Taking the dog for a car ride.
23. Baking cookies for a neighbor.
24. Sitting outside when there's a light breeze.
25. Memorizing a monologue in a matter of minutes.
26. Unexpectedly seeing friends in random places.
27. Road trips.
28. Planning parties, even if they aren't for anything.
29. Singing for someone I care about.
30. Sales at the Disney Store.
31. Raspberry Cheese Spread.
32. Planning out my dream home.
33. Riding horses.
34. The pink flowers that bloom on the tree outside of my room in July.
35. A really good fireworks display.
36. Speedboats.
37. Writing something that is actually decent.
38. Burning candles.
39. Working on my smash book.
40. Poetry.

*This list will always be a work in progress. When I find something new that makes me happy, I'll add it.*

Wondering (A Poem for Children Suffering With Russell Silver Syndrome)

 

Visitors try and hide the shock at how small she is.

They smile, say how cute she is, and congratulate the parents

When in reality, they're pitying them.

They wonder what the mother could have done to cause this.

They wonder if the baby will even survive the night.

The parents seem too overjoyed to notice anything wrong with their daughter

They smile, giggle at every gurgle and sound, and shed a tear as she opens her eyes for the first time.

When in reality, they wonder what they could have done to cause this.

They blame themselves for whatever is wrong with their daughter.

They, too, are wondering if she'll survive the night.

- Michela Anderson

Russell Silver Syndrome is a growth disorder, a form of dwarfism that not very many people know about. Its a particularly rare disease, with it occuring in only 1/100,000 births. To give a frame of reference, 1/123 women are expected to develop breast cancer. In most cases, the cause of the disorder is unknown, with no cases having a family history of RSS. So many children today are misdiagnosed, and therefore mistreated, because there is such a shortage of doctors who are aware of this syndrome. My goal is to make this disorder a household name, so children have the best chance to grow, and their parents can sleep just a little more soundly. Being an RSS baby is hard. Being an RSS parent is harder. The baby in the picture, if you hadn't guessed by now, is me.

        Symptoms include:

• Body asymmetry
• Loss of appetite
• Precocious puberty
• Speech impediments if the jaw is too small
• Poor muscle tone
• Joint problems (usually later, caused by body asymmetry and poor muscle tone)
• Coffee-with-milk (cafe-au-lait) birth marks
• Curving of the pinky toward the ring finger
• Delayed bone age
• Failure to thrive
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease
• Kidney problems, such as:
  
  • Horseshoe kidney
  • Hydronephrosis
  • Posterior urethral valves
  • Renal tubular acidosis
• Low birth weight
• Large head for body size
• Poor growth
• Short arms
• Short height (stature)
• Short, stubby fingers and toes
• Delayed stomach emptying, and constipation
• Wide forehead with a small triangle-shaped face and small, narrow chin
  
 

*Not all RSS children have each and every one of these symptoms. Each case is vastly different.

Cookies in a Cup!

 (Recipes are from http://www.number-2-pencil.com)
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Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Cup

- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 1 Tablespoon Granulated White Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon of firmly packed Dark Brown Sugar
- 3 Drops of Vanilla Extract
- Small Pinch of Kosher Salt
- 1 Egg Yolk (discard the egg white)
- Scant 1/4 of All Purpose Flour
- 2 Tablespoons of Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips




Start by melting your butter in the microwave. 
Add sugars, vanilla and salt.
Stir to combine.
Separate your egg and add the yolk only to your cup. Stir to combine.
Add flour, then stir again.
Add the chocolate chips, and give a final stir.
Cook in microwave 40-60 seconds, start checking for doneness at 40 seconds. Serve warm.

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Peanut Butter Cookie in a Cup

- 1 Tablespoon of Butter
- 1 Tablespoon of Peanut Butter
- 1 Tablespoon of firmly packed Dark Brown Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon of Granulated White Sugar
- 2-3 drops of Pure Vanilla Extract {a splash}
- Small pinch of Kosher Salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 3 level Tablespoons of All-Purpose Flour
                                                      - Crushed Peanuts for topping

Melt peanut butter and butter together in microwave for about 30 seconds.
Add sugars, salt and vanilla and stir to combine.
Add egg yolk and stir again.
Add flour and give a final stir.
Sprinkle peanuts on top and heat in microwave for around 45 seconds.
*Microwaves vary, so start checking for doneness at 35 seconds. Serve warm!

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Nutella Cookie in a Cup

- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 1 heaping tablespoon of Nutella
- 2 rounded and firmly packed tablespoons of dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- pinch of kosher salt
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour

Start with a microwave safe mug, a tablespoon of butter and one big heaping tablespoon of Nutella. Melt the butter and Nutella together in the microwave, about thirty seconds.
Add two firmly pressed rounded tablespoons of brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder, a small pinch of kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and stir together well. Then add the yolk from one large egg, and stir again. Do not use the egg white, it makes the cookie gummy and cake like.
Add 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour and stir together again.
Cook in microwave for about one minute.
Let cool for about a minute and enjoy!




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Sugar Cookie in a Cup

- 1 Tablespoon of Butter
- 2 Tablespoon of Granulated White Sugar
- 1/4 Teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract
- Small pinch of Kosher Salt
- Yolk of one Egg
- 3 Tablespoons of All-Purpose Flour
- Colored Sugar for sprinkling

Melt butter in microwave, then add sugar, vanilla and salt and stir together. 
Add one egg yolk and stir again.
Add flour and stir a final time.
Sprinkle cookie dough with colored sugar, and heat in microwave for about 45 seconds.
Start checking for doneness at 40 seconds. Serve warm and enjoy!

The Aquarium Chronicles: Log 1

The Aquarium Chronicles: Log 1

A few months back, I decided I needed a new hobby. I racked my brain for things I might be good at, things I was interested in, and things that could be interesting. It wasn't until I was watching a documentary about aquatic life that I realized how fascinated I was with fish. So, I did some online research, and started out with the idea of getting a Betta. A good starter fish, beautiful to watch, and a staple for any parent with young kids wanting to teach their kids about responsibility. After a while, my imagination shifted to the idea of taking on something a little more difficult - a saltwater tank. I looked up some saltwater fish and fell in love with the colors and personalities of these beautiful creatures.
After I'd convinced my mother that she wouldn't have to clean the tank every week, I went over to Petsmart and found a 10 gallon tank, gravel, plants, and a fake coral figure. Then, all that was left was to find my fishes (or so I thought!). I found a great little mom-and-pop store called "Filtered Aquatics" just down the street from my house, and decided to check it out. It wasn't a big store, but had plenty of fish to choose from. They knew a lot about what they were doing, and were eager to answer any questions I had. They gave me ten gallons of saltwater (which you have to buy from the store, you can't just use a water conditioner) and showed me some live rock, which are rocks that have bacteria and little creatures living on them.
With eleven pounds of live rock (rule of thumb: roughly one pound per gallon), and ten gallons of saltwater in the back of my car, I headed back to put the tank together. It took my brother to bring all the stuff in, and then my sister and I to get everything set up. In the end, I was more than thrilled about the tank and the way it all fit together. I've decided on getting a clownfish, a blue damselfish, and a 6-stripe wrasse, which will all be added as soon as the tank is ready for them. Sometime in the future, I hope to upgrade tank sizes, and add a Blue Tang, an Angelfish, and a dottyback, and possibly another clown.

 

The tank also has a really pretty night-light so the fishes can see, and I can sleep.

 The whole tank.

 Close-up of the coral.

 

Close-up of a plant. Amazing colors!