Thursday 18 April 2013

Rainbow pancakes.

Sorry. That's all I've got today. Some rainbow pancakes Wugs and I made on Monday. Actually, it's one of my favorite mom tricks: make the batter the night before and refrigerate; in the morning just add your egg whites to the batter--I abide by this recipe--and there, now you need not worry about an inpatient 2 year-old's chorus of meeee huuuuuungry! meee staaaaaaarving! before you've even had a chance to boil water for your coffee. This time I had Wugs pick out the colors and squeeze the food coloring into separate batter bowls. She may have sneaked a few fingerfuls of raw batter. Maybe. Perhaps. That's how I know she's my kid.




And the rest is all house hunting--we've begun! and I am already overwhelmed! I'm trying to remember that in the midst of all this ensuing chaos Mila and Dani still deserve to have the best part of me every single day. Keep your head up, open your eyes and enjoy them.

p.s. that last picture is Dani doing one of her favorite things. But those amber teething necklaces...I'm not entirely convinced they work.

Friday 12 April 2013

I see it.

I love, LOVE looking at other people's children and seeing that perfect blend of their mother and father. Seeing the same eyes from one generation to another, the same thrust of chin, the profile. Putting all the pieces of the puzzle together in an instant. It's fun doing it with siblings too, although sometimes more challenging.

With my own, I find it hard to look at them objectively. Isn't that usually the case? To me they're so very very different, and Dani's still so new that I only see quick glimpses in which they're similar...and the rest of the time they're being their own wonderful individual selves. But tonight, coming across these pictures for a photo documentation project I'm working on (can't wait to share when it's finally done!), I had to stop and catch my breath.
Sisters.









 Different eyes, and one has several more chins than the other (I say that with nothing but love, little D! I wear your chins like a badge of honor--my boobs did that!), but they're for sure sisters. For like ever.








Thursday 11 April 2013

on communicating.

Today we went in search of a new car. A minivan. We've gone and turned into parents--Saturdays spent at soccer fields and late weeknights at little league practice is for sure in our future--but this post isn't of the We're Buying a Minivan! variety. It's about car shopping. It's miserable, isn't it? How about when you have a toddler and baby in tow? A hot Florida sun, we forgot to pack snacks (someone take our parenting rights away!), Dani was getting tired, I needed to nurse her, the car salesmen seemed particularly contemptible and way too eager...it was looking grim. Disastrous.

But we held it together. I was proud of us. We're trying to raise people who can communicate. Who can verbalize feelings, resolve conflicts, and have competent, meaningful relationships. Skills for life. To me it's more important than any college education. There are people in my family who can't speak without yelling, can't take a stand in an argument without berating the other person, and throw all-out tantrums when they don't get their way. I've seen too much to know that my children deserve better than that when they look to me. Lead by example. It's certainly not always the easiest or most spontaneous route to take, but we're trying. Every day.

So back to the car dealership. We, flustered, got back into the car with a fussy Dani and angry, whiny Mila. As we drove away Steve and I explained to Mila (while I nursed--yes I nurse when the vehicle is in motion! Nutty and talented mama that I am.) that we weren't upset at each other...we were just frustrated at the situation. That it was hot, we too were hungry, and sometimes those two things can make people grouchy. And maybe this wasn't the best day for car shopping. Admitting defeat but in that moment I could have cared less about any damn car since I knew Mila understood. She said I love you Mama, which is what she says lately after a bout of feistiness just so she knows everything's okay between us. 

And a few minutes later when we walked through our front door in a heap Steve grabbed my butt and said intimacy 2013 or something like that while babies swirled at our feet which made me laugh.  And just like that, the stress and sweaty hot sun and frustration just melted away. He makes me laugh every day, and I know we have each other. We're trying our best to raise them right. They're pushing us to be better people, these two.

Wednesday 10 April 2013

A baby shower

Last weekend was baby shower day for Lamb. Marm and I co-hosted with Jacqueline's wonderful sister- and mother-in-law. It was a brunch shower with nautical undertones, a recurring theme these days since Jacqueline is decorating her son's nursery to feel like the inside of a boat (super cute!). Marmee's food was to die for (as it always is), the mimosas, wine and champagne were much appreciated, and there was a lot of love to go around. We're all so excited to meet this sweet little baby boy. We love you already Robi--you've got big shoes to fill but you're going to do just fine.







A few details...Marmousch made the pennant flags in the nursery colors: navy, yellow, and grey. She also made the whale and fish mobile out of fabric, which as far as mobiles go, is quite awesome. We had a letter painting station set up since Lamb has a wall in the nursery mapped out for all the letters of the alphabet. Some guests really showed their creative side in painting the letters, which was sweet to see. And there was a 'message in a bottle' station where guests wrote their hopes for little Robi's future, inspired by this shower. We got lots of compliments on the food which is again 100% in part to Marmee's inexhaustible efforts and the way she just has that something special in the kitchen.

the food:

double coconut muffins
cheddar gougères
berry and mascarpone trifle
BLT toasts: bacon jam, arugula, and grape tomatoes
swiss chard tartlets with goat cheese and pine nut relish (from Suzanne Goins' Sunday Suppers at Lucques, a veritable goldmine of a cookbook)
deviled eggs
pasta, shrimp, and feta bake
grilled chicken over greens
mini croissants
smoked salmon
mimosas and momosas (a mocktail--gotta let the guest of honor have something special to drink!)

I've been thinking a lot about food lately--specifically food for entertaining, for when we finally have a house we can be proud of and host our friends and family in. I'm thrilled with the menu we put together for J's shower and would use those above recipes again...and again and again. Lots of prepwork was done in advance with the end result still being delicious food. You can't ask for more than that.

Oh! And it goes without saying but gosh were Dani and I ever excited to be reunited with the other half of our family on Sunday!



Monday 8 April 2013

A Tea Puddle


before







after




Last week Wugs and I took some of our leftover plastic Easter eggs and made little wee baby teacups with them. And then proceeded to have a tea party, or rather a tea puddle as Wugs so profoundly pointed out while she was pouring vanilla chai tea for the eightieth time. Thank goodness for rimmed trays. My cup overfloweth.

Friday 5 April 2013

More Easter 2013.


















Another onslaught of pictures from our happy Easter. Steve was working, sad face, but I can't/won't complain since because of his paternity leave he was home for all of the winter holidays of 2012/2013. Holidays are a given when you're a nurse.

We were at my parents' and had a wonderful time. Amazing food (Marmousch is such an inspiring cook!), good company, Dani napped during lunch and even Mila conked out after her milk chocolate sugar rush. A great day.

And notice Lamb's very pregnant belly? (Hi sweet nephew!) We're celebrating her this weekend at her baby shower. I'm leaving Wugs at home where she'll spend her First Ever Papa-Mila Weekend which Steve promises to be devoid of all nutrition and full of kite-flying, fishing, and fort-making. It's gonna be good. I'm hoping he sends me a picture from time to time to ease my homesickness until Dani and I finally come back to our crazy crew on Sunday.

p.s. It happened. Someone asked Mila what her name was yesterday and she replied, "Wugs."

p.p.s. I indigo-dyed Mila's dress 2 days before Easter. I loved it and now want to indigo dye everything in sight! So vibrant for spring, don't you think?

p.p.p.s. Mila got a ukulele for Easter. Now her and Steve can jam side by side. Pictures coming!


Tuesday 2 April 2013

Easter 2013

This isn't really my Easter 2013 post, can I save that for a day or two from now? But this blurryish photo does kind of sum up my happy-hearted kiddo--moments after finding the golden egg, moments before she started a chocolate feeding frenzy.

Be back soon :)