Boy Crazy

Dreaming

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 20:39:38 -0400

My lack of writing is not a lack of wanting. There are so many times I get the urge to sit at my computer and write, or a concept pops into my head and I think I will have to fit writing into my schedule, but then life happens. Babies need diapers, a toddler wants a truck playing partner and breakfast, lunch and dinner won’t be made by anyone else. And so writing will have to wait.

While I love being a stay at home mom there are challenges. One of the largest being that in choosing to stay home with my children I had to say goodbye to my career. I loved teaching. Creating curriculum, exploring the varying needs of my students and learning from my colleagues excited me. I cannot completely say whether I will ever make it back into a classroom setting.

One of the surprises of leaving my job to start my new job as mom is that I am now dreaming of other possibilities. I want to write and publish a book. I dream of owning an Etsy store to sell my crafts and party planning concepts. I dream of running popular mommy and me classes. I want to create a women’s center that would be a conglomeration of places I have liked over the years. A place to come together to hear lectures, take exercise classes, support moms and breast feeding, and shop.

While I will continue to dream, it is important that I now focus on the dream I had for so long, to be a mom. Writing can wait. Classes can wait. Shops can wait. What can’t wait are my children. They are only little once. I don’t want to miss it. So for now I am saying goodbye again (I think), I have a truck partner waiting for me.

The Silent Toddler

Tue, 2 Aug 2011 20:37:24 -0400

Let’s face it toddlers aren’t exactly the quietest group of people. So when your child is silent for more than 5 seconds chances are it’s probably not a good thing. You know how it goes, your kid is just out of eyesight, you are finally attempting to get something done without a small creature tugging at your pant leg, it is quiet and you think, “ahh, finally a quiet moment to myself” and then a half second later you think “oh crap, it’s quiet, what has he done?!” You are off running in a mad dash to avert a crisis. Chances are you are too late. I have a lot of experience in this area. My mischievous boy is also creative. The following are a few examples of the aftermath of quiet moments.

Rubbing Desitin all over his body and eating it (Poison Control Center gave us the A-Ok).

One wall covered with brown crayon, another wall with a green crayon motif.

Quinn playing “jump the pile of pee” (sadly, that one can also be called “today at 4pm”).

A brand new container of salt poured onto our dining room table.

Peanut butter and jelly in his sister’s hair.

Chicken salad in his other sister’s hair.

(I just asked my husband for more and he couldn’t come up with any. Yikes! I promise I really do pay attention to my kids!)

And drumroll please, his entire, and I mean entire, body covered with green dot paints that were not washable. Frankly, joke was on him, he had to walk around looking like a jackass for days. But, Meredith, didn’t that make you embarrassed? Nope, I’m use to looking like a jackass, I have three kids under three.

Favorite Manipulatives

Mon, 1 Aug 2011 20:54:51 -0400

As my little guy approaches three his interests and abilities are changing. With an improvement in fine motor skills and a growing attention span I am in the market for manipulatives. Manipulatives are building materials that help fine motor skills, spatial awareness, patterns, and shape recognition. Here are a few of my all-time favorites.

Mobilos: These plastic shapes and wheels can be snapped together to make different structures and vehicles. The possibilities are endless.

Gears: Budding engineers will love fitting the gears together and then turning the crank to make them work.

Magna-Tiles: These are quite pricey, and I am not sure if I could pull the trigger to pay for them, but kids adore them! Being frugal, I will be on the look out at thrift shops and tag sales!

Lincoln Logs: An oldie, but a goodie. Connect the wooden logs to create homes, towers or a unique sculpture.

Once a Teacher, Now a Parent

Sun, 31 Jul 2011 20:46:45 -0400

As a teacher part of my job was to make my students’ parents feel comfortable leaving their children in my care. I recognized the angst in their eyes if their children were having difficulty separating and I told them “everything is okay”. I knew their children would be perfectly happy in a couple of minutes, and since I wasn’t yet a parent, it was difficult to truly understand the emotion visible in the parents’ eyes.

Now I am a mom. My babies are my everything. My oldest will be turning three this Fall and is starting preschool. I am terrified. I have thought of pulling him out the program thousands of times since I made the decision to send him. I tell myself “its okay if he quits”. It is going to be so difficult to leave him in the arms of his new teachers. I never thought I would feel this way. Now that I am experiencing school from the parents’ world, part of me wants to contact the 200 or so former classroom parents simply to say “I get it now”. I am doing my best to exude confidence as I prepare my little guy for the transition. Smiling I say “School is so much fun! You will make friends and play games. You are going to love it!” Inside I am thinking “Ugh, don’t go! Stay my baby forever! You’re still so little!”

But he’s not my baby anymore. He is excited to make friends. He is excited to sing and dance and paint. He wants to go. And so my job as mom is starting to change. I am helping him grow wings so he can soar.

The F-Word

Thu, 7 Jul 2011 20:36:51 -0400

When I was seven I remember watching my brothers curse. I was in awe and couldn’t wait until I was old enough to join the ranks of the foul mouthed. Seriously, I was actually counting the years until I could start cursing. How odd is that? I started with a “hell” here and there and waited to see the reaction. When no one seemed to object I tried out “damn”, “shit”, and “Jesus Christ”. I loved cursing. In high school my dad would tell me I cursed like a sailor. Now I don’t believe this was supposed to be a compliment, but I totally took it as a compliment. By college I was hooked and then I spent my junior year in Ireland. Ahh, my people. The word fuck spoken with such joy and eloquence. Let me tell you when everyone, and I mean everyone, around you is cursing it is difficult not to. It’s addictive. This was all fine and good, but years later I became a kindergarten teacher and cursing amongst five year olds is frowned upon. So I cleaned up my act (at least during the school year). When Quinn was born I became much more relaxed and regained my love of cursing. My husband kept warning me that Quinn was going to repeat my words, but sleep-deprivation has a way of making cursing all the more enjoyable and necessary. So then it happened, my two babies were in the NICU, Quinn was at home and I was losing my mind. Seriously I lost my mind, cursing again like a sailor because I was so frustrated with life. And then it really happened, I was putting Quinn to bed and my little boy looked up at me and said “fuckin’” and my heart broke. Bad mommy. Bad, bad mommy. So that’s all it took. My two year old cursing like a sailor. I quit cold-turkey (at least in front of him). And he quit cold-turkey... three weeks later.

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Taste the Rainbow

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:32:43 -0400

While three kids make it trickier to get meals out on time I have promised myself that we will always have healthy choices. One way to accomplish this is to choose meals with a variety of colors. Nope M&Ms and Skittles don’t count. I’m talking fruits, vegetables and legumes. Put a lot of color on your plate and voila! your meal will be packed full of vitamins and antioxidants. Salad is a great place to begin- green lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, corn, red cabbage, peppers, sunflower seeds and red onion- yum! I adore salad so much I have even started having it for breakfast. No joke.

If you feel like a warm dish stir-fries are a great way to incorporate all the leftover veggies in your fridge. Cook them up with a little soy sauce, garlic and oil, add a protein like chicken, beef or tofu and dinner is served.

We have been trying to eat vegetarian at least two times a week. My new favorite recipe is quinoa taco salad. This dish is absolutely amazing and even my meat-loving husband had to admit it was delicious.

No meal in my life would be complete without a little dessert. Incorporating fruit into your dessert is a great way to boost the nutrition level. We are in the perfect season for fruit desserts. One of our favorites is fresh biscuits topped with strawberries and blueberries and a dollop of homemade whipped cream.

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DANO Teethers and Bath Toys

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:10:08 -0400

Discovering new toys that are safe for my children is always exciting. Recently, I was contacted by DANO to review their Ducki teether. I was eager for my little ones to “test out” their new toy. There is nothing extraordinary about the initial appearance of the Ducki. But that is not the point. This traditional bath time toy will replace your current rubber ducky that silently is full of harmful chemicals such as phthalate, PVC, BPA and lead. DANO’s toys and teethers give parents peace of mind that what inevitably touches our children’s mouths are safe. DANO toys are free of phthalate, PVC, BPA. Plus. no horrible plasticky smell or taste!

Now here is the best part for parents. The bottom of the duck flips open so you can clean all the muck that collects during the multiple bathtub visits. I could fill a garbage can with the number of bath toys we have thrown out because they were impossible to clean. While you will spend $9 upfront for the Ducki, that’s it! Keeping it clean and safe for your little ones is easy so you will not need to replace it.

In addition to the Ducki , DANO offers two other teethers, Circus Teethers ($12 for a set of three- I definitely have my eye on these) and the BugBite ($6). Any of these are the perfect choice for your little one and would make a great baby shower gift!

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Perspective

Wed, 8 Jun 2011 21:40:26 -0400

Most blogs don’t change your lives. You might get a craft tip or have a laugh, find your next recipe, but the words are soon forgotten. I found a blog via Top Mommy Blogs that is etched in my brain. As a mother my heart breaks for this mother who lost her little baby boy. Read her words, support her and be thankful for every second you have with the ones you love.

24 Hours

Tue, 7 Jun 2011 20:38:37 -0400

The comment I receive the most is “I don’t know how you do it”. I am not going to lie. There are moments in the day where I am not sure if I am going to physically or emotionally make it through, but then another day passes, and we begin again. Here is a 24 hour window into our lives.

3am: Breastfeed Charlotte
3:30am: Dave feeds Luca (she takes one fortified bottle a day)
3:30am: Put Charlotte back in co-sleeper
3:30am: Pump
4am: Dave puts Luca in co-sleeper.
4am: Back to sleep
6:30am: Wake up to Charlotte’s new found voice. Open eyes and my two happy girls are looking at me.
7am: Hear Quinn waking up
7am: Go downstairs with girls. Dave gets Quinn out of his crib.
7:15am: Change Luca’s diaper and breastfeed her.
7:30am: Change Charlotte’s diaper and breastfeed her.
7:45am: Dave puts Luca down for nap.
7:45am: Make Quinn french toast, get Dave’s coffee going, finish my tea and eat PB and J on toast.
7:55am: Dave puts Charlotte down for nap.
8:10am: Take shower
8:25am: Charlotte wakes up. Take her downstairs.
8:35am: Dave leaves for work. Luca wakes up.
8:45am: Watch Chuggington and Handy Manny with Quinn.
9am: Breastfeed both girls. Email friends that I am leaving house at 9:30 for park.
9:15am: Get Luca into car seat preparing for our first solo trip to a park.
9:30am: Get Charlotte into car seat. Luca starts crying. Quinn purposefully singing loudly to wake girls.
9:45am: Still working on getting out of house. Quinn goes outside to play in our car. Finally get Luca asleep. Bring Luca out. Bring Charlotte out. Quinn keeps closing sliding van door on me as I am trying to get car seats in.
10am: Finally have everyone in. Off we go.
10:15am: Arrive at park. All are awake.
10:30am: Luca falls asleep. Breastfeed Charlotte while watching Quinn on playground.
11am: Breastfeed Luca. Quinn hungry- left all food at home. Thankful for friends with food for my kid!
11:25am: Head home. Desperately try to keep Quinn awake on way home. Damn, I think he fell asleep.
11:45am: Home. Neighbor helps me carry the girls in.
11:50am: Begin making lunch. Quinn plays with trains. Girls get antsy.
12pm: Quinn eats. I breastfeed Charlotte and Luca.
12:15pm: Nap for Charlotte and Luca.
12:40pm: Read books and put Quinn to bed.
12:45pm: Think to myself, “This is amazing! All of my kids are asleep!” Begin to make lunch and tea, then... Charlotte and Luca wake up. Quinn is screaming that he is not going to sleep.
1pm: Get Luca back to sleep. Hold Charlotte. Attempt to get my toddler back to nap (damn that sleep in the car!)
2pm: After many attempts I give up on nap.
2:15pm: My mom comes and saves me from Crazyville! Ok, more like joins me in Crazyville to help!
2:15pm: Luca wakes up.
2:30pm: Snack and my mom plays with Quinn.
2:30pm: Breastfeed Charlotte
2:45pm: Breastfeed Luca
3:15pm: Put girls down for nap.
3:45pm: Hear Charlotte waking (crappy nap day).
4pm: Luca wakes up.
4pm: Charlotte in seat. Luca in swing. Finish making dinner. Coconut crusted tilapia, rice and sauteed zuchinni.
4:30pm: Quinn starting to lose it due to no nap. Throwing things everywhere. Hit me in the head with a plastic horse. Multiple “take a breaks”. Counting the hours until bedtime.
4:45pm: Breastfeed a very exhausted Luca.
5pm: Breastfeed Charlotte
5:15pm: Dinner with Quinn while holding Charlotte. My mom holds Luca.
5:30pm: Put Luca into crib.
5:45pm: Attempt to put Charlotte in crib, but not successful.
5:45pm: Dessert for Quinn
6:15pm: Mom goes home.
6:30pm: Dave comes home.
6:30pm: Luca wakes up.
6:45pm: Everyone goes upstairs
6:45pm: Diapers, medicine and breastfeed Luca and Charlotte.
6:55pm: Dave gives Quinn a bath.
7:15pm: Dave reads to Quinn.
7:15pm: Charlotte into co-sleeper.
7:20pm: Go say goodnight to Quinn.
7:25pm: Back to Luca. Lay with her in bed and realize how many of these moments were stolen from us while they were in the NICU. Fall asleep for a few moments. Wake up to Quinn calling “Mama”.
7:40pm: Luca into crib.
7:40pm: One more goodnight to Quinn.
7:50pm: Check on girls and watch them sleep for a few moments.
8pm: Clean the kitchen. Dave eats dinner.
8:30pm: Watch last night’s Daily Show.
9:30pm: Go up to bed.
10pm: Alseep
12am: Breastfeed Charlotte
12:30am: Charlotte back to sleep.
3am: Luca wakes up. Dave bottle feeds Luca.
3:30am: Charlotte wakes up. Luca back to sleep. Breastfeed Charlotte.
4am: Charlotte back to sleep. Pump.
6am: Both girls awake.

And...start again!

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What’s For Dinner?

Thu, 2 Jun 2011 20:48:04 -0400

Hands down, coconut curry chicken fingers are my new go-to meal. The recipe is from a website called Foodie McBooty (best name ever). Incredibly easy to make. Can be made early in the day before my childrens’ meltdowns begin. Plus, it is delicious. Try it tonight! I pair it with rice and sauteed veggies. Quinn likes to dip the fingers in ketchup. A sweet chili sauce tastes great too!

INGREDIENTS:

12 chicken tenders
1-2 eggs (start with one and crack another one if necessary)
1/2 cup flour
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 curry powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder (or to taste)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Combine the coconut with panko and spices in a shallow dish. Mix well to distribute all of the spices.

Place the flour in another shallow dish, and the egg in another. Give the egg a quick beating.

Working with one chicken tender at a time, dredge the chicken in flour, then dip in the egg mixture, and then finally coat the chicken in the coconut-panko mixture. Press in with our fingers to make sure the entire piece is well coated.

Place chicken tenders on a greased baking sheet. You can brush a bit of olive oil on top to help them crisp up if you’d like.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the juices run clear. Flipping your tenders at around 10 minutes will help crisp up both sides of the tenders. Try not to overcook these because chicken tends to dry out very quickly. The coconut will be nice and golden and the panko crisp and light in color when the breading is done.

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What’s For Dessert?

Thu, 26 May 2011 21:27:11 -0400

Despite the fact that I am really eager to get this baby weight off, I also really love desserts and baking. Quinn and I recently made this cake for Mother’s Day. It is really yummy and full of vegetables so you can pretend it’s good for you.

Harvest Cake with Cider-Cinnamon Frosting

Cake
2 large carrots, finely shredded or grated
1 large parsnip, finely shredded or grated
1 medium zucchini, finely shredded or grated
1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and finely shredded or grated
1 1/4 C flour
1/2 C whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
3 large eggs
1 C sugar
1/4 C firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 C vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 C chopped walnuts

Cider-Cinnamon Frosting
2 T unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 C cream cheese, room temperature
2 tsp apple cider (honestly not sure how much it added, feel free to omit)
1 C powdered sugar
Pinch of ground cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp for garnish

Make the cake:
Preheat oven 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 inch baking pan.

Mix together eggs, sugar, and brown sugar until light and frothy (hate that word).
Add oil and vanilla, mix until blended.
Add flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger.
Add carrots, parsnip, zucchini, apple and walnuts. Mix until combined.
Spread batter evenly into pan.

Bake on middle rack in oven until cake is uniformly brown, firm to touch and toothpick/knife comes out clean when inserted into middle of cake (about 45-55 minutes). Let cool for 15 minutes, then take out of cake pan and place on a cooling rack until completely cool (at least 1 hour).

Make frosting:
Whip together butter, cream cheese and cider for about 3 minutes (note: make sure your butter and cream cheese are soft first or your frosting will be lumpy- gross!). Slowly add powdered sugar and cinnamon, beat until blended. Add more powdered sugar and cinnamon as needed.

Take a few licks (come on, you know you want to! how else will you know if it is good?)

Spread frosting evenly on top of cake and on sides. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.

ENJOY!

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Free Fun

Thu, 26 May 2011 17:46:14 -0400

Two days ago Quinn found my first digital camera. The Canon Digital Elph is the perfect size for him and so easy to use! Calling himself “Ace Reporter Quinn” he spent the next 48 hours taking photos all over the house. As we looked through the photos it was fascinating to observe the world through the eyes of a two year old. From the toilet right before he peed in it, to his train set, to the risque breast feeding shots I had to delete, this was the perfect way to spend the afternoon.

Best Pregnancy Shirt EVER!

Wed, 25 May 2011 20:39:05 -0400

I am obsessed with this pregnancy shirt. I would get pregnant again just to wear this shirt and take these photos (kidding- but I do love the shirt). I found it on the blog, One Little Minute. I am not sure if the woman made it herself or if you can buy it. If anyone knows please leave a comment.

Did you have sex to have your children?

Sun, 22 May 2011 20:51:55 -0400

What, too intrusive? Yeah, I thought so too. So why do so many people ask me if my twins are “natural”? When you think about it, it is the exact same question. I have been very open about my journey to have children. I am happy to speak about it in large part due to the number of emails I receive from people with similar struggles, but the unprompted questions about how my girls were created really makes me uncomfortable. While I make the choice to speak about my fertility treatments, it is still emotional and at times raw. Out of the blue questions from people I hardly know are inappropriate. And what’s the point? When I answer my new BFFs question there is always this uncomfortable moment as if I have shared too much. You asked me! How were you expecting the conversation to go. I really wish I had the balls to ask people if they had sex to have their children, but, alas, I do not. So let me help all the voyeurs out there, unless you want me to stop you on the street and ask you what sexual position you were in when you conceived, please, oh please, stop asking me about the conception of my girls (oh and while I’m at it, can you please stop whispering in an incredibly loud voice with a finger pointing my way, “Look, TWINS!”).

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Introducing a Sibling

Sat, 21 May 2011 07:07:47 -0400

I come from a large family. My mom has nine brothers and sisters. My dad has eleven. This makes for rowdy, chaotic celebrations, and I love it. Of course, it is not always perfect. Personalities clash. Fights are inevitable, but family is family. When I pictured myself as a mom I always envisioned boisterous family dinners with children filling our dining room chairs. No, not Dugger Family-big, more like Cosby Show-big. Our struggles to get pregnant altered this vision, but the goal was always the same. I wanted Quinn to have siblings. Once past the hurdles of getting pregnant, my focus turned towards supporting Quinn during this transitional period. Here are some tips for introducing a new baby (or two!) to your child.

• Wait until you are visibly pregnant to tell your child about your pregnancy. It will be much easier for your little one to understand if there is the visual of a growing belly, and you will be less likely to miscarry which is traumatic for a young child to understand.

• Use correct terminology with your child. We often underestimate what children are capable of understanding. Use short sentences with correct language to explain the pregnancy. I told Quinn there were two babies growing inside a place called a uterus, and the uterus was inside my body. I explained that as the babies grew bigger, my belly would grow bigger too. I let him touch my growing belly whenever he wanted. Babycenter.com has great illustrations that I often showed to Quinn. One of Quinn’s big questions were “when are the babies coming out?” My answer was always consistent- “When the doctor decides the babies are big enough. The doctor will make a cut in mommy’s belly and uterus and take the babies out. The babies will live at the hospital until they are big enough to come home.” Somehow using the doctor as a buffer for explanations helped. The key is to decide ahead of time what you are going to say and stay consistent with that explanation. Children need repetition in order to understand a new concept. Be prepared to repeat yourself a lot!

• Prepare your child for your hospital stay. The hardest part of giving birth was being away from Quinn. We had never been apart for more than a couple of hours. He relied on me for bedtimes and comfort during sad moments. If possible try to prepare your child for this separation by alternating who helps during bedtime. The more your child gets used to alternating between you, your partner, and perhaps a grandparent the easier your hospital stay will be.

• Have a Big Brother/Sister gift for everyday you are in the hospital. This is the time to spoil your oldest kid. There are going to be so many times where your little one will have to be patient, why not give him the opportunity to feel extra special from the start?

• Get help! There will be a lot of times over the next few months when you will not be able to be the mom you want to be to all your children. If someone offers to help in anyway (grocery shopping, clean the dishes, laundry, oh the list could go on for hours) say YES! This is not the time to be a superhero.

• Make your older child feel part of the new baby’s life at home. Find those moments that you can include all your children. Have your older child pick a song he can sing to the baby. Make him feel like a big kid by letting him hold the baby (couch cushions for propping and an adult hand very close by are a must). My son loves taking the dirty diapers and “slam-dunking” them in the garbage. Hey, whatever it takes!

• Create little moments to spend with your older child. The hardest part about parenting many young children is trying to meet all of the emotional needs. Create a project jar. Any plastic jar with an opening big enough for a hand will do. Write possible projects (coloring, blowing bubbles, dance party, snuggle reading, etc.) on index cards and place in the jar. Each day the big sibling gets to pick a project out of the jar for “mommy time”.

• Stay consistent with rules, but always in a gentle loving manner. A sleep-deprived mother with a child testing the boundaries is a horrible combination. There are going to be moments where you feel like you will lose your mind. It is so important to remain calm and in control when your older child is acting out. If your rules stay consistent the acting out will cease with time. Parenting is a marathon, not a sprint.

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Toddlers and Babies

Wed, 11 May 2011 20:32:48 -0400

Before you say it, I know this is an unattractive photo. I dream of having a beautiful photograph of my children all smiling and me with blow-dried hair and gorgeous makeup and clothes. Sadly, this is my family portrait. I can go days without showering (gross). My hair is always in a ponytail, and my wardrobe is pretty much glorified pajamas. But then I look closer. I am managing three children under three! Somedays I do not know how I am doing it, and it might not always be pretty, but I am doing it.

While pregnant with my girls I started asking veteran moms and dads of toddlers and babies for advice. Parenting books can only get you so far. The best advice comes from moms and dads who truly get what it’s like to be rushing a sick toddler to the bathroom, while holding a baby, only to step barefoot in diarrhea and the clock only says 9am (that was our Friday).

Over the next few weeks I will be sharing the parenting advice I collected during my pregnancy and the lessons I am learning during this insane life we are leading. Stay tuned!

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Cooking with Kids

Tue, 10 May 2011 15:53:10 -0400

One of my child-raising goals is to create a family culture that centers on a love and respect for food and cooking. This began when my son took his first bites of pureed peas and continues today as we cook dinner. Now that I have two daughters in the mix this goal is even more important to me. We live in a very messed up society. Fat-free crap that doesn’t resemble real food is everywhere. Air-brushed images of celebrities have become the impossible end goal. Rail thin women who clearly shouldn’t be a size zero (what the hell is a size zero?) are popping up everywhere. But I digress. Back to my point. I am making a conscious decision as a mother to teach my children a healthy love of food and cooking.

The simple act of cooking with kids achieves this goal, plus it is fun, educational and a great alternative to playing hours of trains with my son. Measuring ingredients is a seamless way to teach fractions, addition and subtraction. Reading and following directions is a great way to integrate literacy into your daily routine. Best of all you do not need to be a gourmet chef to cook with your kids. Here are a few simple recipes to try out!

SNACKTIME
Number Salad (adapted from Pretend Soup by Molly Katzen):
• Place the following ingredients in a bowl- ONE handful of coconut, TWO tablespoons orange juice, THREE orange segments, FOUR apple slices, FIVE cubes of cheese, SIX banana slices, SEVEN pieces of cantaloupe, EIGHT grapes

• Stir NINE times.

• Step TEN: Eat!

DINNER
Make Your Own Pizza Night: Before the girls were born Quinn and I would make our own pizza dough, but times have changed. Luckily, every grocery store these days seems to sell bags of pizza dough (often found with the dairy). Let dough sit out of the packaging for about 1 hour before beginning.

Stretch dough to desired thickness. Brush with small amount of olive oil.

Let the creative juices flow! Fill bowls with a variety of toppings (marinara sauce, shredded mozzarella, mushrooms, red onions, peppers, chicken). Let your kids put their own fixings on the pizza. The more invested your children are in their meals, the more likely they are to eat it.

Place on an oiled cookie sheet and pop in a 450 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Tip: make sure your oven is clean before doing this or you are likely a visit from the fire department.

DESSERT
Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting: This is my go-to cake for pretty much any celebration these days. It is so easy to make and unbelievably delicious. Even the pickiest of little guests can’t help but eat every last drop!

What You Need:
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups pumpkin puree
cream cheese frosting, below

What You Do:
Combine sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Mix in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder and salt. Stir in pumpkin puree.
Pour batter into two greased and floured 9-inch round layer cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Tip: the key to this cake is to take it out as soon as you can put a knife/toothpick in the cake and it comes out clean. Turn out onto racks to cool. Frost pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
You Will Need:
½ Cup butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Cups powdered sugar

Combine ingredients and beat well.

Happy Cooking (and Eating)!

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Blasts from the Past

Mon, 9 May 2011 07:43:33 -0400

When I created this blog two years ago my little guy looked like the above picture. Fast forward two years, I have a rambunctious, opinionated two year old and two 3-month old twin girls. Life continues to be crazy. As I look back here are some of my favorite posts. Happy reading!

The New Yorker, TLC and Breastfeeding
Board Books
Shame on You, Gerber!
A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Open Letter to Parents Magazine
Navigating Preschool
Life

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Vote for Me

Sun, 8 May 2011 20:09:08 -0400

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Springtime Fun

Sun, 8 May 2011 18:29:39 -0400

Juggling two infants and a toddler it is difficult on most days to leave our house so I figured we’d bring Spring to us with some fun crafts.

Melted Crayon Sun Catchers: Who doesn’t have broken crayon pieces lying around? Put them to use in this incredibly simple craft!

You will need:
crayons, vegetable peeler, wax paper, cookie sheet, iron or oven

What you do:
1) Choose 3-5 crayon colors. Tip: colors will melt together so be mindful of not mixing colors that will make brown (unless your toddler is desperate to use gray then go for it! The process of art is so much more important than the final product).
2) Take paper off of crayons. Using vegetable peeler, peel crayon into small pieces. Older children can do this themselves.
3) Have your child arrange the crayon pieces on a large piece of wax paper (slightly smaller than cookie sheet).
4) Place another piece of wax paper on top.
5) Place in a 300 degree oven to melt crayons (takes about two minutes) --or-- place a thin towel on top and use an iron.
6) Once crayons are melted pat wax paper down to ensure the two pieces will stay together.
7) Once cool older children can cut shapes out of the wax paper. Cut shapes for younger children.
8) Place small pieces of tape on back of shapes and have kids arrange them on your windows.
9) Enjoy your beautiful new Spring creations as the sun shines in!