One Of Many Sneaky Ways I Make My Kid (and Husband!) Eat Healthy Food.

Since the new baby is the size of an apple currently, I thought I would share with you one of CC's favorite foods! See, girl loves her some pancakes. Like, an insane amount. And, for a long time I was just whipping up the Bisquik (I know its not organic. But, it's delicious!!), flipping those pancakes, and feeding her til she burst. However, in recent weeks, CC has been on sort of a strike when it comes to eating healthy items such as veggies and fruits besides mandarin oranges and grapefruit slices. So I found this apple pancake recipe and got to cooking! I figured that since I have apples coming out of my ears here in NH, and I can't convince CC to eat them on their own (although she does enjoy the kind that come in the little cup in juice), this was a sneaky way to make her eat fresh apples. I make a whole batch and then microwave them for a few days until they are gone.

I have also tricked her into eating zucchini, banana, carrot, and sweet potato using this same recipe. But not all at once, as that would be gross.

It is worth noting that I have tried sneaking these items into the Bisquik, but CC is a Bisquik purist and won't stand for it. Very similar to how she refused to eat infant cereal made with anything except tap water. My little foodie.

An additional fun fact regarding these pancakes is that Bill, whom we all know has an "allergy" to fruit (unless it is baked in a pie, which apparently makes it non-allergenic), came into the kitchen and snacked on a few of these while remarking how delicious they were. You can imagine my glee when I informed him that they were chock full of fruit! He responded by adding extra syrup.

Southern Style Apple Pancakes!
1 Cup flour
1/4 Cup sugar
1 egg
1 Cup milk
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 large apple, peeled and grated


mix and cook on the griddle! make sure you butter that pan, because that makes them even better! obviously.

"Oh my. These pancakes are mighty tasty!"

"What's that you say? Apple? I don't believe it."

"Whatev. These things are so delicious, I might actually eat some before I toss them on the floor for the cats!"

Pregnancy Update - 15 Weeks!

So I am 15 weeks pregnant today! I am hoping to do a weekly update about this madness every Friday, but you all know how it goes when I say I am going to do something like that, so let's just take it one week at a time okay? Anyway, here are a few relevant facts regarding my baby cooking status.

Size of Baby: an apple! (appropriate for fall in NH, although less so since I am cooking apple cakes today. kind of creepy actually...)

"actual photo of Baby C. ultrasounds are so impressive these days!"

My Symptoms: still slightly nauseous in the morning, but I haven't yacked in a week and I actually ate breakfast today!!! things are definitely on the upswing (fingers crossed). I am still pretty tired, but not feeling like I want to lie on the floor of wherever I happen to be and close my eyes. Also the heartburn is starting up again, which was so bad with CC that I had to take Zantac like clockwork or I would feel like I wanted to die. So I stocked up on the stuff and am getting ready to wage war against the heartburn!

Size of Belly: I have had a little belly since about 8 weeks with this baby, although in all honesty most of that is probably due to the fact that I never lost all my baby weight the first time around. So I guess we would call that a gut. Also, depending on how much I puked in a given day the belly would come and go. These days, I definitely look pregnant, although not enough for strangers to feel comfortable asking. They probably just think I eat a lot of cake. AND THEY WOULD BE CORRECT!

My Cravings: I have really not been that hungry, mostly because puking every day for 2 1/2 months makes you a little wary of food. I never really craved anything with CC except ice cream, so I am curious to see what happens this time around. If I had to say, I would identify that I have been craving decaf cafe mochas, tomato and mozzarella with balsamic, minestrone soup (Olive Garden, holla!), chocolate cake, and noodles. Anyone want to meet for lunch at the OG or my local Thai restaurant?

So, there you have it! Fun facts about Baby #2. We don't have a nickname yet (you will remember that we referred to CC as "Squid" for the majority of my last pregnancy), but we have a few ideas we are kicking around. Bill says I can't refer to the baby as "Mocha," or "CakeFace." So we'll let you know.

CC does not really seem to have any idea that her world is going to be changing in a big way in a few months, but I am sure she will start to wonder when we set up another crib in her room! We'll let you know how that goes!

Thanks for all the well-wishes and for being along for the ride with us! 

"Baby? What baby? How can they possibly do better than THIS sassiness? I mean, have you seen my side pony?"

Let's Try This Again Shall We?

It has been a long time since I wrote anything, and in that time much has happened. I am going to try to get back into the blogging thing, but I have to be honest with myself that it is harder than I thought! Anyway, here is a random update of things around here. Stay tuned for much more on all these riveting topics!

1. I am PREGNANT! Oh yes. Baby #2 is officially on the way, I am 14 weeks, and have been horribly, disgustingly, obnoxiously sick. Yacking everyday SUCKS. Blegh. Ick. I had really bad sickness with CC too, but I thought it had to do with the progesterone I was taking (more on that when I share CC's birth story, something I never got around to). Anyway, I am feeling a little more like myself again in the last few days, so I am hoping I can blog during naptime, instead of lying on the couch watching all my glorious new tv shows.

2. CC turned one. It turns out that she HATES hats. We discovered this while trying to take obligitory pictures of her in her party hat, all of which show her looking like she's dying. Which is sad for her since we live in NH and she will have to wear hats all winter long. I have her one-year letter to share, as well as some updates about all the new stuff she can do. Like walk, and destroy the living room in less than 5 minutes. Kill me.

3. We have to trade in my car to make room for Baby #2. Just WAIT until you see the ride we picked out. You'll die.

4. New seasons of EVERYTHING started on television! Thank goodness. I have so much to say about all the awesome new stuff I am watching, and over the summer I discovered a fantastic new HBO show that I can't rave enough about. CC still doesn't watch tv, but occasionally I find stuff on the DVR I did not record, and it makes me suspicious...

5. I got a Nook. I may need help with this thing.

6. I am having to cook a lot, since CC eats lots of regular food now. I may share some recipes that I have had success in getting her to eat. If I could just get her to cook, that would be perfect.

7. Mini Boden released their fall line. Swoon. I can't take it. Neither can my credit card.

8. I got a part-time job. Getting back to my roots. Not using any of my expensive advanced degrees, but, I'm having fun and I get to talk to adults once a week. Plus, no daycare! Win.

9. Bill and I are planning a little getaway before the baby gets here. I am pretty excited to get a weekend off from CC. Not that I don't love her, but girl gets up early.

10. And finally. Did I mention that I am pregnant? You should expect a ton on this subject because I did not blog my first pregnancy, and I kind of regret it. So I feel I should overcompensate this time around.

It's great to see you all again!

"Just when I thought Mommy had finally gotten the message that I'm in charge, she pulls this crap!? I have my own feelings on what's been going on around here, thankyouverymuch."

CAUSE I"M LEAVIN' ON A JETPLANE!

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Postcard From Vacationland. Wish You Were Here!

We are still on vacation in Maine, but I thought I should just check in and swear that I have not disappeared off the face of the earth. CC is having a blast here and we are taking lots of cute pictures, having fun on the beach, going on plenty of walks, and visiting with old friends and new babies!

I have also discovered that we have Showtime on our Direct TV service here so I got to watch some new Weeds. Super sweet. When I get out to Cali in another week or so I fully plan to catch up on the whole season by shamelessly commandeering my mom and dad's awesome cable package. So life is also good in t.v. land. I know you were worried about that.

We hope you all had a happy 4th of July, unfortunately it was crazy foggy here so we did not get to see any fireworks, but we had a great time anyway. I will share some pictures when I get home and locate my camera cable! Until then, here is a peek at what we have been up to!

What Do I Do With This Madness?

It seems that CC has been reading my blog and to get back at me for sharing all her secrets with the internet, she is SUPER into her newest trick.

Standing in the crib.

It was cute. WAS. I admit, I snapped a few pictures, told her how adorbs she was, picked her up, gave her a snuggle, and squealed, "LOOK HOW BIG AND SMART YOU ARE!!!" (kisskisshughugsnuggle)

What a freaking mistake that was.

Now she stands in her crib the very second I put her in it. Tired? Eye rubbing? Red sleepyface? Yes to all this. These used to be the signs that meant it was time to put her to bed. And I was so spoiled. My child slept great whenever I put her down. I didn't have to bribe her in any way. She sleeps almost 12 hours a night and I could just lay her down and she would go right to sleep. But now she is a practicing diva. So that means, she can be so tired her eyes are closed, but she still stands right up and screams at me. And to top it all off, she tosses her paci and lovey out on PURPOSE so she has the excuse to scream louder. This is fun for everyone.

Even the cats are over it.

So now we have trouble. Diva babies usually are. CC is nothing if not determined and absolute in what she wants to do at any moment. However, she is also tired and cranky and she doesn't want to admit that she is to blame. So I think my only option here is to  put Crisco on the crib rails and get a video monitor. Mommy always wins.

"Who's laughing now?"

Is Anyone Ever Ready?

I know this may sound like a "poor me" post, but the truth is, I am feeling super sad about turning down the job I was offered yesterday. I know in my heart that I am not ready for full-time daycare for CC; I am not ready to hand her over for 40 hours a week to a stranger and then drive away. I know this. I do. But I am devastated over missing out on the kind of opportunity I would have had with this job. The people I met during the interview process were amazing. The school was a perfect fit. And, the feeling of being chosen after a year at home as the best candidate, even when they knew I wasn't sure, was amazing. I would have kicked butt next year if I had taken the job. I would have continued to hone my classroom guidance skills, I would have helped kids in so many ways, and I would have contributed everything I had to making my year there one that left a lasting impression on the school and the students. But I said no. It was such an incredibly difficult decision that I don't know if I am ever going to feel 100% sure that I did the right thing.

I did not make this decision all on my own. Obviously there was a great deal of discussion on the homefront, but the truth is that what really started to sway me is the number of working moms I talked to that told me they would quit their jobs if they could to stay home with their babies. I am so lucky to have this option available to me. I know that. And I am in awe of those moms who go back to work whatever the reason. You are braver than I am, and I know that you struggled with your decision as much as I struggled with mine.

Some of you know that we worked hard to have CC. It was a long process to get her here and I always said I wanted to stay home with her as long as I possibly could, because I didn't go through everything I did to have her only to miss out on her babyhood. And I have the privilege now to do just that. But I never anticipated that I would feel as though something else were missing from my life because I am not working. I am worried that the longer I stay out of the field, the harder it will be to get back in, I worry that I am sacrificing part of myself in order to be everything to my child. And, I worry that CC is missing out on her own experiences away from me because I want to be with her. But I believe that I made the right choice yesterday. I just did not expect to feel so much loss from making that decision.

I know CC is still just a tiny bird and that there are so many years ahead of us where she will be out on her own, learning and growing into herself without me there to soak it all in. I know that this time is a gift and that I am incredibly fortunate to be able to stay home with her. I know all this and I know that right now the best thing for all of us is for me to be home with her. Closing a door is always sad, and always makes me think about what could have been. This time I guess I'll just never know.