Mommy and Sweet Pea

Today during Henry's nap, Stella and I baked cookies. I used the recipe on the top of the oatmeal container, modified for ingredients that I like better. It ended up looking like this: 1 stick of butter, softened 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 3/4 cup Sucanat (sugar cane natural) 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 2 1/2 cups Quaker Oats, uncooked 1/2 cup Craisins 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1/2 cup chocolate chips 1/2 cup chopped coconut assorted sprinkles 1. Heat oven to 350. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until creamy 2. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. 3. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix well. 4. Add oats, Craisins, pecans, chocolate chips, and coconut; mix well. 5. Scoop with a cookie dough scoop onto parchment paper on your cookie sheets. The dough doesn't stick together super well so you will have to finger shape and smoosh it together (...

My Sweet Pea turned four years old this week. Unbelievable! This year, I quit my job to spend more time at home with my kids. Or, more precisely, I took a leave of absence from my part-time teaching job that I actually worked at nearly full-time because my part-time teaching wages didn't cover full-time daycare for two children and working full-time was stressful for me and my family, even though I loved my job. (Precision is wordy.) I was hoping that I could net more income overall by subbing a few days a week, and I am so far! Last spring, even after I knew I wouldn't be working every day, I was researching preschools for Stella because age three is the year when children generally start preschool. I found some really great-looking schools and situations, but it seemed the more I liked the school, the more it cost (my preference was for Montessori or bilingual, of course). Since I was planning to be home most days, the more I thought about it, the less sense it made to me t...

I was in a terrible mood yesterday morning. Our back fence in being replaced (the neighbor hired a company), so Glen can't go outside to potty or play without us taking him on the leash. Henry has been sick, really sick, for the past six days, and we are just starting to see real improvement, so I am exhausted. Stella has a cough too so I can't really send her to a friend's house to play, but she is not sick enough that she is happy to be just hanging out at home watching movies and playing with toys, so she is asking for a lot of attention, and begging for a friend to play with. My subbing paycheck for the month was tiny, so we are on a very tight budget. All of those things came together and made me a very grouchy mama. I ignored my kids for a few minutes, locked myself in the bathroom, and talked on the phone with my friend. When I came out, I was determined to change my attitude. I would make the best of all this forced togetherness, with no pressure to get anything in ...

Last week, Henry turned 1. Joe made this beautiful banana cake with peanut butter and chocolate frosting. The filling is marshmallow cream. We went with an Elvis theme as Henry shares his birthday. At age one, Henry crawls very quickly, eats like a champ and loves to feed himself, and giggles if you turn him upside down. He waves bye-bye, claps if you say "yay," and just learned to sign "more" if he wants more food. He will say mama and dada if he really wants us, but mostly just points and says "uh" for what he wants. This is how he often looks at the end of a meal: Today, he pulled himself to standing, and then let go! Two times! Stella got her first major hair cut yesterday. She has had it trimmed twice, by her babysitter at my request. The last time was over a year ago. This bob do I did myself, as she sat on a kids' chair in front of me and watched a show. Cutest questions she asked me regarding the haircut: "will it hurt?" a...

Just a basic journal-type entry about Henry, as he enters his last month before age one: At 11 months old, Henry seems to be squarely on track for all baby development signs, if a little slower than his sister with mobility. He has become an adept crawler over the last two months. He is starting to pull himself up on things, balancing on his knees. He eats a wide variety of food, and likes purees and finger foods including carrots, crackers, cereal, beans, corn, squash, apples, bananas, pears, rice, and peas. We have been through many different phases of sleep, including a really rough patch a few weeks ago, but seem to be coming out of that into an easier pattern of falling asleep. However, he seems to be at the beginning of the transition from two naps a day to one, which makes bedtimes inconsistent. Talking seems to be just around the corner, or may have already begun. Learning words seems to be such a gradual process, I never know when a baby crosses the line from babbling ...

Baby Henry is ten months old and growing, growing, growing. Every week there are clothes to add to the "too small" bin. Every day he seems to understand something he didn't before. Just this last week, he finally learned to crawl. Like, forward. He would only go backward or sideways for the longest time, it seemed. The first time crawling from one room to another was to come from his bedroom into the bathroom where his sister and I were. He was so thrilled when he made it across the threshold and into the room with us! He immediately sat up (standard position for him) and waved his arms, kicked his legs, and squealed. I fell in love with him again, just as I do every day with each adorable thing that he does. Nights have been a little rough lately. Henry is teething, or growing, or overwhelmed with his new learning, or something. Something that is making him wake up. Something that is making him scream for no apparent reason. And this kid can SCREAM - the high pitched, ...

The talented photographer Amanda Reed did family photos for us about a month ago. Here are a few: Eye contact He thinks we're funny - You guys stuck me in a bucket?! Best sister, cutest pose Pure sweetness toothy! My sister, just returned from two years in Madagascar, with her niece and nephew I'm pretty sure these are the cutest kids in the world. I know I will treasure these pictures forever. Thanks, Amanda!