Some updated photos from this Fall

First Day as a Dolphin

Maeve is now a dolphin!  This week is her transition week from being a 'Turtle' (the 2 yr old room) to being a 'Dolphin' (the 3 yr old room), and in true Maeve fashion she scoffed at the plan to transition slowly over the course of the week and begged to stay in the Dolphin room all day long.  She napped on her cot without a problem, and she stuck with her friend Libby the whole time.  I'm so proud of her and I got little misty eyed when her teacher called me at noon to report how awesome Maeve is.  She is so brazen and fearless when it comes to adapting to new situations and I hope she never loses that quality because it will serve her well all her life.

In celebration of her first day as a dolphin, she wore the silver dolphin necklace that Grandma Lil sent her.  So cute!!

Finally back to blogging!

I completely abandoned this blog a few months ago, and much to my surprise, there are people who actually read this and were asking me when I was going to get back on board.  So, I thought I'd give a brief summary of our summer and try my best to pick up where I left off.

The biggest thing that has changed for us is that I am now back to work full time and the kids are at school/day care full time. My job is going well, and I am really learning a lot.  I enjoy working with patients again and I am involved in a few research studies which is a great opportunity and a brand new experience for me.   The kids have both fully adjusted to their school and they are loving it.  Maeve is currently a 'turtle' but will move up to the 'dolphin' room when she turns three.  She is very excited about this, and is looking forward to reuniting with some of her friends that have already moved up.  Finn transitioned really well to the one year old room and is napping well on a cot.  Yes, I said a COT--I can't believe it!  His teachers absolutely adore him and although he is quite messy, he is a really lovable and overall wonderful little boy.

Maeve is really into bugs right now.  She gathers them on the playground at school and loves watching any TV show or reading any book about bugs.  She is watching the Toy Story Movies ad nauseum and wants to be Jessie (the cowgirl) for Halloween.  She told me she would wear a wig with red braids, but we'll see... She is really excited for her birthday and has consistently asked for the same things as gifts.  It's hilarious.  We are having a small party for her at the zoo with her closest friends.

Finn is walking all over and climbing up pretty much anything.  He has no fear and tries to walk, roll, climb, and crawl over anything to get to where he wants to be.  He is starting to get the most delicious little curls of blonde hair, and it's so adorable.  He has been battling colds and ear infections off and on for the past few months. We are hoping that placing ear tubes will help him and get him through the winter season without too much trouble.  He is just a sensitive little guy, and seems to be very illness prone. He is saying quite a few words now, mama, daddy, doggie, cat, Ma (Maeve), book, 'what's that?', baba, and others.   He also moves his hands around to 'itsy bitsy spider' and 'wheels on the bus'.  He is very boyish and loves toy cars, balls and like his sister, goes crazy when Yo Gabba Gabba comes on TV.

Here are some recent pictures:

 This is one of the better ones that I have of the two of them.  Hence, we have hired a professional photographer in order to get a picture for our Christmas card.  Unless you think this one is ok?

 Sibling love.  He was laughing hysterically while she was trying to shove his face into the bed. 

Favorite pictures

I love these guys.

wanting to be just like mommy

Poor little babies

So, the first week of day care went really well.  In fact, fantastically well, as in 'too good to be true-well'.  Our weekend started out great, but was definitely marred by the fact that Finn did not feel well.  Saturday night was miserable for us all and the poor guy ended up sleeping in our bed--which he NEVER does!  On monday, Zar took Finn to the doctor and it turns out he had an ear infection.  He was started on antibiotics and felt better right away.  Both he and Maeve went to school on Tuesday, but at noon I got the call that Maeve was sick.  So Tuesday night was spent with Maeve having a very high fever, shaking chills and sweats.  We took her to the doctor this monring and she also has an ear infection.

I knew that both of the kids would be exposed to new germs at day care, but ear infections so soon? In the middle of the summer? What is going to happen in the fall when they go their new school?  Talk about feeling major mommy guilt.  You want to do everything and be everything for your family, but it just isn't possible.  I am so torn because I know that Maeve needs the interaction of a school and learning center, but Finn is just so little and should be home with me just like Maeve was.  I feel like no matter what, I am choosing between two wrongs, and I guess this is just preparation for a long road ahead of difficult decisions.

Wish list

I am coveting these items for Finn's first birthday.  I thought I would post this just in case my fairy god-mother reads my blog.

Graco Nautilus car seat

This bedding at Land of Nod

 Awesome Fire house from Land of Nod

 Perfect for school! (Land of Nod)

 A trampoline like this one. This would be awesome during the winter months!!!

A Train table like this, that will grow with him as he gets bigger plays with more intricate train sets or cars, or whatnot.

Day 1 of Day Care

Today was the first day of full day 'school' for the kids.  They call it a school, but let's be honest, it's really child care.  Overall, they both did well, and I actually made it through the day only calling in once to check on them. Drop off went very well, and I think that's because both Zar and I were there.  Finn got a little misty eyed, but started playing right away.  Maeve barely looked up from the toys to wave us off to work.

Finn is in the Ocean Room, and he has three rotating teachers.  His main teacher, Miss Theresa, wasn't there today and I look forward to meeting her tomorrow.  His first nap only lasted for 30 minutes, and he was able to sit outside in the shade and read books with his teacher while the other kids napped (I think this is code for 'we wanted to keep the room quiet while the other kids actually slept').  He ate well for lunch and today's menu was "Rib tip with baked beans and orange pieces".  Seriously? That's much more gourmet than what he would receive at home.  He took a great afternoon nap (two hours!) and was just finishing a snack when I went to pick him up.  His teacher said that he made a friend (Penny) and the two of them chased each other around the gym area all morning.

Maeve is in the Turtle room and her main teacher is named Miss Liz.  Maeve quickly made friends an had a great time playing with her new friends all morning.  She learned everyone's name and amazed her teacher with her memory skills.  Miss Liz said Maeve's favorite time of the day was 'dramatic play'--no surprise there--but she also had a great time at the sensory table doing water play.  It took about an hour to get Maeve to nap, but REMARKABLY, she did.  I thought for sure it would take her a week before she was able to sleep on the cot, given the fact that she rarely sleeps anywhere except for her 'polka dot bed'.  On the ride home from school Maeve talked to my mom on the phone and told her about the class fish named Monster, and named all of her new friends.

Here's to hoping that tomorrow goes just as smoothly as today!

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful men out there who have influenced and nurtured me along the way.  Now that I am a parent, I can really appreciate a lot of the things my dad has done for me along the way.  Here are just a couple of fond memories:

• When I was about 7 or 8, I was obsessed with lizards.  I would catch them all the time and build them little terrariums.  I didn't know this until later, but they would often die in my temporary little houses that I would make for them.  And my dad, being awesome, would pluck the dead ones out, catch new identical ones, replace them in the terrarium, and encourage me to let them go outside before they perished. 
• Around the same time, I was a pretty bad student in school.  We had parent teacher conferences a lot and finally figured out that I wasn't doing well in my classes because I was never doing my homework.  My parents were dumbfounded because as far as they knew, I never even had homework.  That's a little lesson not to trust an 8 year old.  So, my dad took matters into his own hands, and completed helped me complete the next two projects for with me.  I got F's on both of them.
• I had a terrible habit of leaving my bike in the driveway, causing my dad to have to get out and move it before paring his car when he came home from work. After many times of telling me that if I left my bike out in the driveway it could be stolen, one day it simply disappeared.  He was right, and I was heart broken for a week. Until he pulled it out of the back of truck, that is.  Lesson learned.
• One of the more tender memories I have is when our dog, Duchess, passed away.  I had been home alone and there were workmen at the house completing a renovation.  One of the men asked if I could call my dad because he had a question, and although this was odd, I complied. My dad rushed home, and told me to take our dog, Sydney, for a walk.  He looked like a completely different man to me--serious, sad, and gentle all at the same time. When I came home he explained to me that Duchess has passed away and he had buried her under the orange trees.  We made a tombstone for her.  Many years later Sydney was buried there also and he made her a white cross tombstone.
• He used to take me all over the state of Florida for day trips--Eggmont key, Coconut Grove Arts Festival, The Webster Pepper Festical to name a few.

I love you, Charlie!

Such a big boy

Finn is growing like crazy and turning into such a big boy.  He just got his first tooth, and it is still barely visible.  We are hoping that he will have some teeth by his first birthday, but it's not looking likely.  He says a few words now: Mama, dada, daddy, cat, ball, baba.  He had stood up on his own only a couple times, and takes a couple of steps while assisted.  He cruises around, pulls up on everything that he can (including Guinness, our dog) and crawls very around furiously.  He is into climbing the stairs whenever he can and sneaks away to do so.  He also loves eat the dog food and splash in Guinnie's water dish.  So, as far as we can tell, he is ALL boy. :)

Big Changes

We've had some big changes around here lately and I'm sorry that I haven't updated the blog in while.  My cousin Rose has been staying with us for a little over a month now and has been watching the kids while I go to work.  She has been accepted to a doctoral program for Physical Therapy at ODU (Go, Dr. Rose!), so she is headed back to Virginia on Monday.  Insert my sad face here.   I know it's the best for her, but I was really hoping that she'd go to grad school in St. Louis because it has been incredibly awesome to have her companionship. And free babysitting, but mostly companionship.  So on Monday we say good-bye to Rose. Insert my really sad face here.

Monday is also the day that I will officially start my job full-time.  I was originally planning on starting in September, but we found a great day care with full-time openings, so we had to jump at the chance.  I figured it's like ripping off a band aid--I just need to do it and get it over with.  I am a bit sad that we won't be having lazy summer days hanging by the pool, but let's be honest...there's no such thing as a lazy time when you have two kids under the age of three.  The kids will be attending a day care that is near Zar's office and Maeve has talked non-stop about her new school since we went to visit it last week.  She is definitely ready for more stimulus from a school environment, so I am very excited about this opportunity for her.  I am a bit more worried about Finn, but as Zar reminded me, Finn is no longer a baby and he will enjoy the developmental stimulation as well.

Wish us all luck on Monday!

Maeve-isms

my favorite things to hear her say:
-I'm so glad you're here, mommy
-are you a happy one, mommy?
-I'm so proud of you
-me: how's your dinner taste? Maeve: delicious and delicioso.


potty talk
- as she is flushing 'the poopy is going to see the mommy poopy now'

travelling

I am headed away from my family for the weekend with mixed emotions. happy to be heading to celebrate Rosie's graduation, but missing my little babies. as time has gone by my feelings while away from them have evolved from worry (can Zar handle this? what if there's an emergency an I'm not there? what if they miss me and won't stop crying) to contentment and just plain missing them. good thing I have >700 photos on my iPhone to keep me company.

Siblings

I love the way these two play together.  Finn lights up like nothing else when Maeve walks in the room and its quite amazing to see.  Maeve is beginning to be rather mothering of him and it just takes my breath away to witness it.  I saw her teaching him the sign for "More" today before she shared a bit of her snack with him.  It was completely unprompted and I feel lucky to have witnessed it.

Changes

This is a big week in the Toolan house.  I am starting a new job, and we have a nanny starting.  Finn is in the deep throws of the 'separation anxiety stage', and Maeve is quickly turning from my baby girl to a little girl.

Signs of Change:

1. Maeve will not go anywhere without her pearl necklace and her pink fuzzy purse.
2. At a party yesterday Finn would not let anyone hold him except for Daddy...even Mommy.
3. Maeve is wearing big girl underwear today.
4. I dusted off some of my old work items (reference books, desk items, etc.).
5. Zar picked up the clothes from the cleaners and it wasn't all his clothes.
6. I actually packed a purse for work and not a diaper bag.
7. I'm excited and sad, at the same time, to change from one chapter to another.

Milestones

My kids are growing like crazy, changing every day and getting even cuter and funnier (if that's possible). I need to start writing these things down or else I am going to forget! I know what you are thinking , "But Liz's mind is a sharply honed instrument, and is a steel trap of knowledge", but...wait, you weren't thinking that? Me either.

Anywho....here's the bullet list of some milestones we have reached:

• Finn is crawling! He's also in this really clingy, crying phase which means that he is constantly crawling from room to room following me around during the day.  He is so determined to get to me that I can hear him coming with this furious, yet not very productive, little crawl from the other room.  With all the bare wood floors we have in our house, it is quite a challenge (and a funny sight to see) for him get around when he has slick cotton pants on.   I bought him these shoes the other day and I think they are helping him.
• Finn is sleeping through the night! Hallelujah! Ok, not every night. But at least every other night and I'll take it.  Maeve is sleeping really well right now, too so we are catching up on some much needed rest in this house.   Finnie is also taking the bottle really well.  I finally found some bottles that he likes, and he even hold them on his own.  So, the weaning has started and he nurses before bed, in the night if he wakes and then first thing in the morning.  I'll probably stop the morning feed once I get back to work I'm sure that the night feed will turn to a bottle feed shortly as well.  I am READY to be done nursing.  Such a change from when I nursed Maeve, because when she self-weaned I was devastated.  I was really hung up on getting to the one year mark with her, and when I didn't I felt like a failure.  But the reality is that  one year is a generalization and you have to do what is right for your family.  For some families it is longer than a year, and for some it is less.  For me, this timing is perfect.
• Speaking of work, I am headed back to a part time job! I'll write more about that later.  We have a lovely babysitter who will be watching the kids at the house for about a month until my totally bad @ss cousin, Rose, will drive half-way across the country and live with us for the summer  while she awaits grad school. 
• The play-room no longer exists.  With Rosie moving in, we needed to create a quiet space where she can retreat without our kids.  The third-floor makes the most sense and I selfishly opted to keep my craft/sewing table up on one side of the room and take out all the toys from the other side of the room.  Consequently, the kids' rooms are no longer sparse, but are filled (and i mean FILLED) with toys.  It has been really fun to see what they play with now that the toys are all in a different location.  This weekend I plan to pack up about half the toys and either get rid of them or keep them in the basement and start a 'toy rotation' so kids think they are getting new toys all the time.  We'll see if I can get organized enough for the latter.
• Maeve is full-on potty training.  She is out of diapers, only in pull-ups and is starting to ask to go pee and poop on the potty. Yay! I can't wait to stop spending money on diapers. She has also stopped drinking her 'hot milk' before nap and before bed.  This is a BIG deal, because she was super dependent on her hot milk to get to sleep, and it always meant that she had this big honking diaper when she woke up.  It fits well into the potty training that she is not allowed any liquids before bed or nap.  She does have some water in her room if she waked up thirsty, but she doesn't really drink it.
• Maeve is saying some hilarious things, and I'll do another post on that soon.  She keeps me in stitches all the time.  She loves playing outside, digging in the dirt and playing in her sand table.  She has a couple of new favorite 'shows' that I let her watch in the morning on PBS, and other than that she plays in her room with her kitchen, her 'guys' and dressing up in clothes from her treasure chest.  Today she woke up from her nap and I heard her quietly knocking on her door to get out.  Finn was still sleeping, so this was quite a courteous thing for her to do! I went to her door, and I opened it to see her standing there with a tiara on her head, a scarf around her neck, a silk princess skirt on, and a purse filled with 'guys'.  She immediately said 'mommy, I'm awake! Let's go downstairs.'. Too cute.

Resolutions are meant to be broken, right?

I had the greatest of intentions in January when I resolved to blog more often (three times a week actually) as a form of creative expression.  Well, real life caught up with me and has kept me from doing this.  The kids and I just returned from being snow birds for over a month(!) in Florida and we are returning to normal life as we know it. 

Here are some things that I will cherish about out trip to Florida:

• The time spent with my nieces.  Watching all three girls perform an impromptu talent show in my sister's kitchen.  Dance parties to Queen and Will.i.am. Avery's persistent mothering of Maeve, Violet's sly realization that with Maeve around she could slink off more easily and have uninterrupted play time with all the toys. All three girls eating together at the kitchen counter like sisters.
• Finn's Baptism. This kicked off a very hectic weekend for my family, and I was surprisingly calm and collected for this event. It's hard to explain, but despite all the preparation for the dinner after the baptism, I left all that at the door and was very present for the actual sacrament. Sure I was laughing hysterically when Maeve started to sing 'Happy Birthday' as Pastor Stephen lit the candles, but when it hit me that 31 years ago I was baptized over that same giant clam shell, and I got chills.  Pastor Stephan also added some water from the River Jordan where Jesus was baptized, and then I remembered that Zar was also baptized by water from the River Jordan.  Again I got chills.  Afterwards, my mom told me that once Finn was baptized, Maeve whispered to her "It's a miracle". Once again, I got chills.
• Reuniting with friends.  One of my oldest friends lives in Sarasota and lives a eerily parallel life to mine, only thousands of miles apart.  We met weekly for play dates with the kids and to watch LOST.  We rekindled our old friendship and it was wonderful to talk about things that were important to us other in this life, and laugh about things we did in our past.  She is wonderfully forgiving for times when I was a flat out bad friend and for this I am very thankful.  Also, I was able to escape to Orlando for a weekend to spend with my best girlfriends in the world. As we are now scattered all over the country, we try to get together once a year for a 'girls weekend' of wild and crazy antics like sitting around reading gossip magazines and eating circus peanuts.  This year I was sick (so sorry girls) with a terrible cold and I just didn't feel like myself, but they loved me just the same. I love the company of these women and I feel so at home with them that I was truly able to relax for the first time in FOREVER.  love. love.love.
• Watching my parents be grandparents. This isn't something I get to do very often, being so far away from them.  They are fantastic grandparents and they really appreciate each grandchild for his/her differences.  We were there for a looong time, and this was a first for all of us and I think overall we all did well.  They were very tolerant of my kids (and m) even when we were challenging--sick, cranky, up at all hours of the night, throwing tantrums, etc.
• Bring able to pop over to my sisters and chat.  This seems very silly, but I miss this A LOT by not living near her.  I know if we lived near each other, I'd be over there several days each week after school, just shooting the breeze (likely over a Guinness) while the kids ran wild.  I spent many a winter's day dreaming of this, and I am happy to see that I was able to do it, even if only for a few short weeks.

I posted a lot of pictures to my facebook account, so I won't post them again here.  If you want to see them, just send me an email and I'll send you the link.

Liz

Ready to head to Florida!

Friday's Five-Valentine's Edition

We don't really celebrate Valentine's Day in our house because we have birthday's right around the corner.  But, I love the sentiment of a special day to tell those around you how much you love them. I wish I had made this list when we first got married, because I am sure that it is drastically different now.  As we each change over the years, so does my appreciation for this man. Happy V-Day, Z.

Five things I love about my husband:
1. His determination and ambition
2. He is an AMAZING dad, and I love hearing him talk about how much he loves our kids.
3. He provides me a lot of security.  He knows exactly how to calm me when my nerves are rattled.
4. He will always do anything, or try something new even when I have trepidations.
5. He's pretty funny and makes me laugh. A lot.

wordless Wednesday: First Tatoo

Store Bought Baby Food

We are getting ready to travel to Florida for about 6 weeks this weekend, and I feel as if I am closing up my house for the summer.  Yes, Zar will be here, but I'm pretty sure he won't be cooking many meals so we are doing our best to raid the pantry this week and avoid buying nay new perishables.  Zar will also be out of town for the rest of the week until we head out, so I am on my own with the little ones.  In an attempt to keep my sanity, I am not making Finn any foods this week and I have stocked up on some awesome store bought brands.

I have always been a fan of Earth's Best Organic Baby.  They make some great combo meals.  I find that they are really thin however and I usually plump up a jar with a few tablespoons of Happy Baby Brown Rice or Oatmeal. Finn is particularly fond of the vegetable dinner.

I also found some very unique combinations of foods from Plumb Organics.  I haven't tried them before, and I'm a sucker for the neat packaging. So far I tried plain peaches (Finn was not a fan) and a Spinach, Pear, and Pea combination.  Finn loved the green stuff!  This is great because I am having a hard time adding in greens to my homemade repertoire. Maybe it will be easier once are in Florida and away from all of these winter root vegetables!

Friday's Five

As my Tivo backs up this week, I bring you my favorite Five TV shows right now:

1. LOST
2. Friday Night Lights
3. Modern Family
4. 30 Rock
5. (3 way tie): Chuck, Community, How I met your Mother

Wordless Wednesday: Handsome Gentleman

Idea...

This is the wallpaper/look that I am going for in my dining room, except that all the wood trim and the mantel is a dark wood.  I think it could look very cool and modern if paired with the right furniture, and not feel stuffy or dated.  I am thinking about a farmhouse style table, or maybe a large (seats 6) pedestal table.

Suggestions?

Baby Food Blunders

I have decided to make some more posts about the baby food that I am making for Finn because I am learning quite a bit along the way.  I have been reading a lot about this again (refreshing my memory, really) and I am starting to get in the groove.  I am also on this new kick to try to cook more 'seasonally' since I live in a climate where there are four full seasons and the farmers market actually does change seasonally.  I think that having this mindset when making menus and planning our meals will allow is to eat the freshest produce available and eat locally as much as possible (with one BIG exception--avocados.  They are a main staple in our house year round).

My main source of recipes right now are from a fantastic book, Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron. My sister gave me this book a couple of years ago and it is such an awesome resource! The book is organized very well to use as a reference on how to cook vegetables and fruit you may have never prepared, as well as the nutrient content of EVERYTHING and some great recipes for toddler food as well.  I don't completely follow her system yet (she prepares a lot of food in advance and freezes it, and I just don't do it that way) but I may try while I'm in Florida visiting my family.

This week I am inspired to introduce parsnips into all of our diets (probably do pureed for Finn, mix with some sweet potato puree) and try some pureed noodle recipes.  I always have leftover noodles because that it all Maeve will eat lately.  She is becoming a very picky two year old.... I'll let you know how it goes!

Monday's Menu--Sunday Edition

I know I skipped trying a new recipe last week, so I have to double up this week.  We had a crazy busy week last week and we didn't have dinner at home as a family AT ALL.  I don't like that!  Anyway, my goal is to try a new recipe every week, so I figure I can average out over the course of the year, right?

We have been watching a lot of the Food Network and HGTV since downgrading our cable (more on that another time), and I saw this recipe from Sandra Lee.  She's not my favorite cook, but this just looked delicious and was actually more homemade than my normal pot roast because I typically use a seasoning packet for the slow cooker.  I like how she cooks the majority of the vegetables separately because I have a small crock pot, so this allowed me to actually get a larger chuck of meat (3 lbs).  I am also excited to cook with some winter root vegetables--yay for seasonal cooking!

Here's what I am making today:

Pot Roast with Roasted Root Vegetables: Recipe courtesy Sandra Lee

Prep Time:10 min Cook Time: 8 hr 0 min

Level: Easy

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

Pot Roast:

• 1 1/2 pounds beef bottom round roast
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 1 (15-ounce) can beef broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

Roasted Root Vegetables:

• 2 carrots, cut into 3-inch pieces
• 2 russet potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 pound turnips, cut into wedges
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon each fresh rosemary and fresh thyme leaves
• 1 red onion, sliced

Directions

For Pot Roast:

Season the beef with salt and pepper and lightly coat with flour. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat and brown the meat on all sides. Remove to a platter and set aside. Arrange the carrots, celery and onion in bottom of slow cooker and top with the seared beef. Add the broth, water, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme, and set the cooker on low for 8 hours. When finished, remove the meat to a serving platter. Let the vegetables and broth cool for about 5 minutes, then add to a blender. Slowly blend until smooth and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve the gravy with the pot roast and roasted root vegetables.

For Roasted Root Vegetables:

One hour before the pot roast is done cooking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Add all the vegetables to a large bowl and add the canola oil, rosemary, thyme, and onion. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and arrange on a sheet tray. Roast for 30 minutes, then toss and roast another 30 minutes. Arrange on a serving platter and serve.

Use the leftovers to make Roasted Root Vegetable Pasta Salad or Southwestern Beef and Black Bean Chili.

Friday's Five

This list is about my baby boy, who is growing up way to quickly. Sometimes I looks at him and I can picture a little toe-head boy running down the beach.  I've actually had that vision in my head since I was pregnant with Maeve, which is why I thought she was going to be a boy, but that's another story!

Five things I love about Finn:
1. The Finn Grin: His completely irresistible smile.  Seriously infectious.
2. His laid back attitude: If he is fed and has a clean diaper, you will not see a happier baby on this planet.
3. His Chunky/Chubby little thighs: enough said. I just want to eat them up!
4. He lights up when he sees the people/animals that he loves.  At only 6 months, he completely recognizes Mommy, Daddy, Maeve and Guinness.  He also goes crazy when he sees one of us, and it is so heartwarming!
5. Those Baby Blues:  His eyes are a really clear, beautiful blue (right now...we'll see if they change) and he really smiles with his eyes. I hope he grows up to be as kind as his eyes say he is...

Wordless Wednesday

Back to Basics...Making baby food once again

Taking care of an infant the second time around is totally different than the first.  I am much more relaxed, I hardly read any books and I have learned to trust my instincts and go with the flow.  However, there are a lot of times where I look at Finn and the new milestone he is crossing, and I immediately remember where I was with Maeve at that same moment.  I was so focused on her and only her for that first year that there wasn't room for much else in my life.  Now that I have them both I feel like I am bursting at the seams with joy, frustration, sadness, and love all at the same time. 

One thing that I have been particularly dreading the second time around is baby food. I know I should be excited about. I mean, I am a registered dietitian, specializing in pediatrics.  Food was my profession for over five years.  Not just food, but KID FOOD. Yet, I hate it.  I hate the tedium involved, the preparation and organization that is required.  Yet, I know enough that I am avoiding jarred/boxed foods as much as possible if for no other reason than I did it with Maeve, and Finn deserves it at well.

So, I have tried making foods in batches, I've tried individual servings, I have tried high quality forzen stuff. I have tried it all. Now I am getting ready to try it all again, seeing how it fits into my much busier life.  And while I may complain about it, making food for Finn does make me feel like a good mom.  He doesn't get all of my attention like his sister did at his age, and he never will.  I will probably feel bad about that for the rest of my life.  But, I can do little things to make up for it along the way.

So, today he will be getting a gourmet dinner of pureed chicken and sweet potatoes.  I'll let you know how he does!

January 2010

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Wordless Wednesday: Polaroid

Monday's Menu-- Results Edition

Two weeks into my new blog and I have fallen behind...what can I say?  This past Monday was a holiday (Martin Luther King, Jr's birthday) so we had a three day weekend and I've been off kilter the rest of the week!

Regardless, I did end up making last week's menu this weekend, with a few variations, of course.  I ended up using chicken from a rotisserie chicken ($4.99 at Costco...you can't beat that!) and some frozen vegetables and I put it all in the crockpot, rather than using the stove top.  At the last minute I decided to throw some egg noddles in because I had an open bag in the pantry. 

Here's what I started with:

I ended up leaving out the canned tomatoes, because I ran out of  room in the crockpot.  I also added 2 cups of water in addition to the chicken broth.  As the soup cooked, I began to think that adding the noodles was a complete mistake.  They completely dissolved into mush and tasted pretty gross.  I let the soup continue to cook, though and was prepared to make something else for dinner.   However, the noodley-mush ended up making the soup really thick and we all found it to be quite delicious.  While I was envisioning a classic chicken noodle, vegetable soup this one turned out A-ok. 

Friday's Five

Five blogs that I read everyday (via google reader)

1. DadCentric:This is a blog written by several Dads and they have a hilarious viewpoint of family life.
2. STL hops: St. Louis Beer!
3. tuned in: This is a blog written by the TV critic for Time magazine.  You should read his view point of the who Jay Leno/Conan O'Brian debacle.  It's pretty interesting. 
4. the inspired room: This is a great blog full of decorating ideas for your house
5. the hostess with the mostess: This is another great blog about entertaining and decorating your house for parties.  

Wordless Wednesday

Monday's Menu: Big Batch Vegetable Soup

Recommended by my sister. Can't wait to try it!
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/big-batch-vegetable-soup?backto=true

This basic soup can be made with any combination of fresh or frozen vegetables, so it will taste a little different each time. The recipe can easily be doubled or even tripled.

Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onions or thinly sliced leeks (whites only)
• 1 cup thinly sliced celery
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juice
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 8 cups mixed fresh or frozen vegetables, such as carrots, corn, green beans, lima beans, peas, potatoes, and zucchini (cut larger vegetables into smaller pieces)

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions or leeks, celery, and Italian seasoning; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Add broth, tomatoes and their juice, tomato paste, and 3 cups water to pot; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, 20 minutes.
3. Add vegetables to pot, and return to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, as desired. Let cool before storing.

Friday's Five

I read a couple of other blogs that have inspired me to write more regularly as a creative outlet (Simply Modern Moms, The Inspired Room) and at SMM, Tiffany does a list on Friday's called Friday's 5 @ 5. So, this is my take on that.

Given that we have 5 inches of snow on the ground and that the low today was 5 degrees, I thought it only appropriate that my introductory Friday's Five is:

Five Things I Hate About Winter:
1. Cold toilet seats
2. Itchy Dry Skin
3. I can't use my iphone while wearing gloves
4. Gray Gray Gray Everywhere
5. Static Electricity--I get shocked all the time!

Wordless Wednesday

Monday's Menu-- Results Edition

This salmon recipe was a huge success, but I definitely had some changes that I made along the way. First of all, don't make it if you are counting your calories! This salmon is bakes with a 'crust' made from butter and bread crumbs--not diet friendly, but it was certainly delicious.

I used three small fillets of salmon, rather than the whole fish as the recipe suggests. I ended up halving all the ingredients, except the old bay spice, and I still ended up with a tub of the butter mixture that I am saving for the next time I use this recipe. If I were doing it again, I might actually do 1/4 of the original recipe. Here is what I did based on the contents that I actually had in my fridge:

2 sticks of butter, whipped until fluffy

Added 2 T. garlic paste (equivalent of 6-7 cloves according to the jar), 2 T. spicy brown mustard (that was all that I had), 1 tsp. dried thyme, 1 T. lime juice, 1 tbsp., 2 T. Old Bay, dashes of salt/pepper to taste (I used unsalted butter, so added more salt that I normally do)
Stir in the mixer
Add in 1 1/2 c. panko bread crumbs and stir.

Smear the butter/panko mixture onto the fish fillets in a really thick layer. Think 'crust'.

Bake at 425 for 10 minutes.

I served this with corn and sweet potato puree (again, this is what I had in the fridge...) but it probably would have been better served over risotto or wild rice, and with some crunchy green beans.

This is definitely a re-do recipe, and I actually wish I had made more last night because I could have eaten a second helping. To quote Zar (with a mouthful of food) "I think this is the best cooking you've ever done". Success.

Of course, the evening ended with a Dance Party. Tonight's music was provided by KDHX Community Radio. Monday night's show is called Soul Selector with Papa Ray.

Monday's Menu

In one attempt at taking better care of myself and family, I plan to try a new recipe out each week and post the results.  I normally hate trying new recipes because I have a two year old who is becoming quite a picky eater, and a husband who is not always home for dinner, so cooking for just myself can be a frustrating experience.  However, I really want to learn to cook new things and I know that the more foods you introduce to kids, the more likely they are to expand their pallet.

So, this week and I am going to try:

Odyssey's Mustard Crusted Side of Salmon

Prep Time:25 min

Cook Time:10 min

Level: Intermediate

Serves: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

Baked Salmon:

• 1 pound butter
• 1/4 cup minced garlic
• 1 cup whole grain mustard
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups panko bread crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs) Do not substitute regular bread crumbs
• 1 (3 to 4 pound) side of salmon, skin on, pin bones removed

Directions

Whip butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the garlic, mustard, thyme, lemon juice, Old Bay, salt, pepper, and panko, and mix well. Line a small sheet pan with parchment paper or waxed paper and lay salmon, skin side down, on pan. Blot salmon with paper towels to remove any moisture. "Crust" the salmon while the butter is still soft, allowing a 1/4-inch crust. At this point, the salmon may be refrigerated (cover with plastic wrap after butter has hardened).

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Bake for approximately 10 minutes for a still slightly pink fish. Use 2 long flat spatulas, coming in from either end, to lift the salmon off the paper and transfer to a serving platter.

Chefs Note: Use your imagination, substitute dill for the thyme, horseradish for the mustard, substitute crushed potato chips for the Panko (try different flavors of chips or use pretzels or tortilla chips). This dish can also be prepared for individual portions.

Happy January!

Any Reason To Shop - January Calendar

National Clean Up Your Computer Month

1/1 Happy New Year!
1/6 Epiphany/Twelfth Night
1/8 Bubble Bath Day,  David Bowie's Birthday, Uncle Orion's Birthday!
1/11 National Clean Off Your Desk Day (followed quickly by Where Did All My Bills Go? Day)
1/18 Martin Luther King Jr. Day
1/25 No Name Calling Week
1/29 Freethinkers Day

Christmas Pics

We stayed in St. Louis and had a very different Christmas than our normal tradition this year. It was good in some ways, and bad in others. Overall, we enjoyed ourselves but really missed our families. Zar and I thought we would really enjoy having Christmas morning with just our 'nuclear family' where we could wake up in our beds and have a stress free day doing whatever we wanted. Little did we know that it didn't work out like that at all. Christmas Eve was down right depressing and lonely although we were together. I tried to make a nice Christmas Eve dinner, when Zar asked me "What's the point?" to which I responded "I guess there isn't one", and we ended up eating leftovers from the fridge.

It wasn't until we put the kids to bed and started preparing for Santa when we began to feel the Christmas spirit. Things were looking up for us, the tree was beautiful, we were sipping egg nog and watching Christmas movies. Christmas morning was fantastic, and we ate dinner with some wonderful friends who welcomed us with open arms into their families for the day. The day was full of cheer and fun and family...which made me miss our extended family all the more. While it was nice not to travel during the holiday season, I don't think I handle another Christmas away again...

Here are some pics of how celebrated, though.


We took a family walk in the snow in our new wagon. Thanks Aunt Lisa and Uncle O!

Playing in the new wagon. Finn looks like a giant baby here.

Finn in his gifts from DiDi and Papa. My mom made this bib (and several other items for the kids)!

Guinn was keeping cool on the tile by the fireplace.

Maeve got a bunch of princess gowns from Santa and immediately wanted Finn to be her prince.

Probably her favorite gift...a DJ Lance Rock costume!