Edie at 7 Weeks

 

All smiles and coos now and I'm in heaven. 

The Bjorn Identity

This is how Edith and I have been getting along lately. The thing that has been keeping me sane is being able to count on a schedule. Feed her, change her, play with her, nap her, repeat. My life feels a bit like 'Groundhog's Day.' Problem is, Edith doesn't always check the schedule and often leaves us with minutes unaccounted for. Hence the Bjorn. I pop her in that thing and we're off, making dinner, cookies for recitals, doing the dishes, getting the mail. There are a few hazards associated with this routine. For example, today when I was unwrapping the eggs my hand slipped and may have whacked Edith in the face. Whoops. It took her about five seconds to forgive me and we were back on schedule. There was the time I looked down and thought I saw blood on her head until I realized it was spaghetti sauce. And often she needs a bath after the ordeal to wash off the film of flour that has lined her face. Still, all in all, I think it's a pretty decent solution.

So, the purpose of the above picture is three-fold. The first was to demonstrate how I'm getting anything done these days. The second is to chart Edith's growth. She's not unlike the Very Hungry Caterpillar who started off tiny and small but after eating her way through, well me, has accumulated some chub and is totally adorable. And the third was to make me see a picture of myself with the hope that I'll be motivated to get my rear in gear. I've started a Biggest Loser campaign and though I don't expect to shrink all the way down to my goal weight while still nursing, I'm hoping to at least start putting a dent in the chub that, on me, is not so adorable.

Charlotte Grows a Notch

This was our first experience with Preschool Graduation and I have to say I was a little skeptical. Isn't it a little redundant if every year ends with yet another Graduation Ceremony? Perhaps. But after witnessing Char's Preschool Graduation I'm a believer. It helps that this was the cutest group of 4 and 5 year olds I have ever seen. Holy cow. During the "When I grow up I want to be a (fill in the blank)" portion of the ceremony, one kid got up and without reserve demonstrated how he was going to be a transformer when he grew up. So funny. Which brings me to Charlotte. She wants to be a Mom when she grows up. I know that sometimes sounds cliche, but nothing could have put a bigger smile on my face. Not only to hear it, but to every day see her in action. Charlotte's got mommy skills. The girl is in earnest and I have no doubt she will make a fabulous mother some day. Happy Graduation Charlotte. I'm so glad you're only graduating to half day Kindergarten. What would your little sisters do without you?!

 

 Here she is with her preschool buddy, Sadie.

 

By the way, as darling as the program was, that night was actually a bit hellish. My older kids were fighting, Hazel was banging her hands on the chairs as loud as she could, Edith decided she needed to eat right then, and Josh was away in trial. It's only thanks to a friend I even have documentation of the night. Unless you count Jonah's phone recording of the ceiling. How's that for keeping it real! 

Hello Again

I've been out of the blogging scene just long enough to not recognize the new format and I'm feeling very vulnerable about that. I miss blogging. Actually, there's very little I miss about blogging but a lot I miss about having my kids' stories recorded. I don't remember them otherwise! I'd love to blame it on being pregnant, but I'm not pregnant anymore. So then I could blame it on the five weeks of interrupted sleep that comes with newborn territory (whoever coined the phrase "sleeps like a baby" did not know what they were talking about). But the truth is, for as long as I can remember (which isn't long), I've always been this way. I have a very selective memory and sadly it doesn't always include the memories I love best.

I quit blogging because of a moral quandary I was having with myself. I didn't feel like I was being completely authentic on the blog. Either it was a privacy concern, a fear of sounding too depressed, too pompous...there was always some reason or the other to hold back. Well, if it's my family journal I want to be able to write whatever I darn well please. And that is how blogging fell off the totem pole of priorities and into a dark abyss where it has stayed for almost two years. But like I said, I miss the stories and I miss the creative aspect of writing. So it's possible that I'm back...but just to those who know me best; my family and friends with whom I won't have any problem sharing the good, the bad, the ugly. The people who know me well enough that I can let go of the barriers and inhibitions I previously felt. So, here's to you and here's to a hope of capturing the memories while I've still got them :)

Speaking of which, you've all heard the song "Dynamite" I assume? I assume because I've only recently heard it which means the rest of the world has been listening to it for a while. Well, the kids are OBSESSED with it. I don't know what the lyrics to that song are. I've never been great with lyrics, but I'm pretty sure the chorus line is not "San Di-ehhhh-go, San Di-ehhh-go!" But this is how Charlotte sings it and with such confidence that the other kids follow suit. Anyway, Josh put together some choreography to teach the kids and then they all put a show on for me the other day. Hil-ar-ious. The kids were down right cute, but Josh...now that was a moment I will savor forever. Unfortunately, I didn't get much of him on video. But the kids were willing to show off.

Coconut Cupcakes

BTW, these cupcakes I made for Cinnamon's birthday party are the reason I fell off my no sugar diet....totally worth it! I think they are Paula Deen's but don't remember for sure. Either way, they are amazing!

Coconut Cake/Cupcakes:

1 1/2 C. butter
2 C. sugar
5 lg. eggs
1 tsp. coconut extract
1 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 C. coconut milk
1 C. buttermilk

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-Beat butter, sugar, then add egg yolks and extracts
-Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl
-In a small bowl combine milk and buttermilk
-Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with liquid mixture beating until just combined after each addition
-In medium bowl beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Then fold into batter.

Cake 18-20 mins.
Cupcakes 15-17 mins.

*Coconut Butter Cream Frosting:

1 C. butter, softened
8 C. powdered sugar
2 tsp. coconut extract
1/2 C. milk (or coconut milk)
garnish with shaved coconut

*Depending how much frosting you like on your cupcakes, you could get away with halving the frosting recipe.

Happy Birthday Cinnamon!

Charlotte has been obsessed lately with her bear, Cinnamon. Cinnamon eats with us, watches movies with us, checks the mail with us and is a very good napper! Charlotte informed me that Cinnamon's birthday was January 4th, but she was not going to leave me alone until Cinnamon's birthday was properly celebrated! So, we invited a few friends over and gave Cinnamon the time of her life (and probably Charlotte's as well). Char's had a little cough the past few days and just this morning she told me how glad she was that she wasn't sick for Cinnamon's party! What a crack up she has been. And so ready to grow up. Other information I've gathered from her over the past few weeks...

Top 10 reasons why Charlotte would like to be a Mom right now:
1. To have her own phone
2. To have her own gum
3. To have her own purse
4. To have her own makeup
5. To get her ears "peered" (pierced)
6. To put a feather in her hair
7. To dye her hair
8. To make her own dinners (or rather decide on her own dinners is more likely what she's thinking)
9. To have a real baby of her own
10. To be a mom with me!

(Side note: I was trying to remember a few of the reasons she'd mentioned so I asked Char, "Why was it you wanted to be a mom?" Answer: "Oh, I don't want to be a mom anymore." "Why not?" "Because I didn't know you had to die." So apparently she thinks I'm going to die soon...fabulous!)

Pine Top 2012

With Bekki and her family in town from China, the Allred clan all took a couple trips up to Pine Top to catch some "major air!" The kids had a blast sledding...even Hazel until I went down with her and we had a bit of a crash landing. Fun times!