A Day in the Life of the Wee One

Today's Agenda:
1.) Wake up at 9a.  (Waking at 2a, 430a, and 6a don't count)
2.) Play with toes.  (Found toes for the first time yesterday.) Great fun.

3.) Smile at mom after getting tidy diaper.
4.) Tummy time.  Roll over for 4th time and make sure mom misses it again. (Mom has efficiency issues and tries to multitask.)
5.) Eat breakfast.
6.) Swing in chair and greet morning.
7.) Nap.
8.) Wake and repeat.

Everything I Love

April is a great time of year. The snow is melting, people are defrosting and starting to smile again after the long winter.  I especially liked April this year. I went to the doctor's office for a routine prenatal checkup on a bright and sunny day and lo and behold my wee one decided to make an early debut. You can tell that she charmed her daddy in a nanosecond!

I know it's kind of cliche, but my world slipped off its axis that afternoon only 5 months ago and now very happily orbits around a tiny girl.

Second Sunday Suppers

You know those favorite people in your life?  J&K are definitely those people: funny, charming, smart, welcoming, and humble.  They are wonderful individuals and a fantastic couple.  We love them so much that we actually called them up and invited ourselves over to their beautiful home for dinner.  I know, not exactly the Emily Post thing to do!  But we did secure an invitation:

In the time-honored tradition of our Grandmas, Moms, and numerous Aunts who could always seem to “feed the masses” on a moment’s notice; as a rekindling of many fond childhood neighborhood picnic memories; as motivation to keep experiencing the abundant joys of cooking; and as a perpetual monthly celebration of very special family and friends...

We present you with our

Second Sunday Suppers

11 am to 5pm. Food, music, conversation, and perhaps cards or dominoes too. Bring the kids – there’s a large City park directly across the street. Meals will be more traditional: family-style or picnic-style – and all food will be provided.

(Though homegrown produce or home-made preserves will rarely be refused) If you wish to drink something other than Iced Tea, Lemonade or Water, please BYO.

One of the host's pups napping with our wee one

Whether a large group or a small one, we’ll be grilling and baking regardless, but it’s always more fun doing it for those you care about. And a timely notification of your anticipated attendance is still requested. If less are able make it in any particular month, then that just leaves more for us to package and freeze for easy weekday lunches and dinners, or to ship off to Hospice.

If you are greater than the 20th guest to RSVP, or if you give less than 24 hours notice that you are coming, then there’s a remote chance that you might be asked to show up with a loaf of French bread, an extra head of lettuce, or something from the grocery deli – our choice!

Other than that, just mark your calendars and keep the dates in mind – especially if your weekend travels bring you within the vicinity of our home. The first three dates are:

July 11th --- August 8th --- September 12th

We plan to do everything possible to set every second Sunday aside – for Food, Fun, Family and Friends. In the event of a future date cancellation, notice will be given as early as possible. (For instance October 10th will not occur, due to an out-of-town wedding that weekend.)

So, Save the Dates, and We Hope to See You Soon!

J & K

Now can you understand why we couldn't resist going to their home??  They are delightful and everything is always delish!

Sweet dreams

I feel like a Visine commercial today. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed my wee one awoke at 330a to talk this morning. Everyone was up: 2 dogs, 1 mom, 1 dad, and 1 who-should-have-been-sleeping-like-a-baby baby.

I absolutely adore my child and find nothing more interesting than watching her grow everyday.  But as far as being a conversationalist, she doesn't listen too well or talk in complete sentences or any sentences for that matter.

As I type this and daydream about 5 hours of continuous sleep, I'm drinking tea in the largest mug I could find and watching my wee one take her first nap of the day.  Sleeping like a baby.

Shrimp Po Boys

Tonight I couldn't figure out what to make for dinner.  But I knew I wanted to make sweet potato french fries.  I love love love sweet potatoes.  In any form. If I had to choose between my dreamy husband and a bag of those sweet spuds....  anyhoo...

So, what goes with fries?  A 'wich.  But our fridge is pretty lean right now.  (I really need to pack up the wee one and head to the store.)  And then inspiration hit me.  I had frozen shrimp.  Taadaaa!  Shrimp Po Boys!

Now, if you have spent any time in Louisiana, and I spent a whole year there, you would realize that inhabitants of that southern state take their food quite seriously.  The recipe that I created isn't even close to authentic.  But it sure was tasty!!!

Mini Frittata Quiches

I really don't like wasting food.  If we have left-over food, I really try to "repackage" it into something equally delicious.  We had a storage container with cooked rice and vegetables.  Et voila!  Mini frittata quiches!  And something new for breakfast.

Mini frittata quiches

All it took was:
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups soy milk
garlic powder
Cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
2 cups cooked rice with vegetables (tomatoes, asparagus, broccoli, onion, green beans, carrots)
2 slices whole wheat bread
grated cheese (I had a Parmesan mixture but anything would work)

Mix everything together in a bowl except for the bread and cheese.  Break up any big clumps of rice.  Use a biscuit cutter and make little rounds of bread to create a "crust" for the quiche.  Grease the muffin tins with butter and place a bread round in each tin.

Ladle into each muffin mold the egg/rice mixture. Top with some cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Enjoy!

Breakfast Cereal Alternative

I love breakfast.  It's undoubtedly my favorite meal.  A warm mug of coffee or sometimes a cup of tea with...what?  Since I get the privileged of working from home, I would make myself some pretty nice first meals of the day.  Now that we have added my wee one into the equation, breakfasts have broken down to the bare minimum: Cereal.  And I'm tired of it.

What can I make the night before that can be stored in the fridge that both Mr. Dreamy and I can enjoy in the a.m.? So, I have unleashed my creativeness in the kitchen.  This is what has developed out of the madness:

A Quinoa Muesli:
3T toasted sunflower seeds
3T toasted (old fashioned) oatmeal
1T Craisins
1T raisins
2T frozen fruit (we like blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries)
3T plain yogurt
3T quinoa
1t sugar (I would have used honey if I had some)

I toasted the sunflower seeds together with the oatmeal in one pan.  Careful because they toast quickly and can easily burn.  That's all the cooking.    Then just mix everything together in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  And upon waking breakfast is served!

My next creation I made this evening.  It's a mini frittata quiche.  I'll let you know how it tastes in the morning.  Good night.

My Sunrise

Have you ever watched a baby wake up and greet the morning?  It's magical.  They stir a little and wiggle a bit.  They may make a few little noises, chirps, and gurgles.  And then it happens.  Their eyes pop open and a smile spreads across their little face and if you're lucky, a dimple or two will make an appearance.  

That's when I tell her.

I love you more than sunshine in the morning and twice as much as the moon.

Weekend Treat

a happy Cricket

I really enjoy sleeping-in. I'm especially fond of naps. My relationship with my dreamboat husband was well solidified before I completely comprehended his disdain for sleeping late and napping. How could this be?

It took almost a year of negotiation before we reached a settlement. On weekends, I can sleep in and Mr. Dreamboat can leisurely read his newspapers at a local coffee shop without either of us complaining. When we lived downtown, the puppies and I would, upon waking, take our first walk of the day down to the cafe and collect him. He always greeted us with a smile and a fresh cafe au lait for me. I know, dreamy!

On our walk home, Mr. D would recap all the goings-on and people-watching adventures.

Now that our little family unit is one wee person bigger, we outgrew our little rental downtown and moved on to new adventures out west of the City. The coffee shops aren't in walking distance anymore but the sleep-ins are still taking place. However, the coffee comes to me upon his return. Dunkin'Donuts. Hazelnut. With cream and sugar.

A Surprise Visit

Some memories and experiences you try so hard to forget. Others will be your favorite. This is the latter.

My sister had a plan and movie-perfect timing.

Between her teaching, coaching and summer jobs, it's not often that Inga gets to travel back home from the east coast. She is the lone sister in D.C. while the rest of us are in the midwest. So, my heart was a little blue, as we caught up on the phone, when she said she wasn't going to make it back here this summer. I told her that I understood (even though I really didn't). And she still chatted away as I told her that I had to dash to make an appointment that was over an hours drive away. Being on time with my four month old wee one is a trying task! But she was in a talkative mood and our conversation was fun so I indulged myself with her stories. Then, she let me go and I dashed to wrap up and go. Dress - check! Heals - check! Makeup - check! Hair - check! Baby fed, clean, happy - check check!

As I open the door with baby in tow, around the corner walks Inga with a big smile on her face.

As I worried about making my appointment, Inga strategically chatted me up while driving 85 mph through Chicago.

It was a delightful weekend. She didn't tell a soul she was coming. Inga spent five days sleeping on our loveseat (apparently our company was worth her sacrifice). We kept her secret. On day 5 she surprised the rest of the family.

It was one of my most favorite memories. xoxoxo