How crazy is it that Elise is two months old today? Seriously, the time has flown and I can't even blame her NICU stay since it was only (hahaha, only) two weeks. She is thriving and healthy and growing. Our scale says that she is 7 3/4 pounds up from the 3 pounds 7 ounces at birth. I've thrown a couple pics of D in for good measure.
Have a great and safe weekend everyone!
Just a reminder that the cookie challenge is in need of more participants! Even if you don't have a blog, send me your recipe and I will add it to the list (this means you ERICA, who by the way, needs a blog to document her wedding planning).
So, I made chicken last night. When Jeff called yesterday to find out what was for dinner, he moaned and groaned (he is perpetual chicken hater and beef lover). However, I think he will agree, that even HE was impressed with the end results of sticky chicken. I served it with baked potatoes and a green salad. Very yummy, especially when I can buy a whole chicken for $2.97.
I also made another batch of cookies last night and they didn't turn out quite the same as usual. The culprit? Dark brown sugar and bread flour. Don't get me wrong, they are edible and yummy, just not quite right.
Now please excuse me, my ciabatta bread is done kneading (thank heaven for kitchen aid mixers with a dough hook) and I must give it my attention.
Oh yeah, can anyone recommend a good espresso maker? My latte addiction is being thrown out because it is too expensive. I'm allowed one a week.
So I will just say that I love cheetos. Not quite as much as coffee, but I still love them, especially the natural (haha) white cheddar ones. And, the pepperoni studded lasagna I made last night was a waste of tomatoes and pepperoni. Such a shame.
Preschool for D started today. She loved it. We have a field trip on Thursday. I'm glad summer activities have started.
Oh WAIT! I may not have anything interesting to say, but Sarah does!
Coffee..
I love coffee. It is very unfortunate that Jeff absolutely hates it. Abhors it even! But, Darsie loves it. She calls it "tea" and whenever she sees me with coffee cup in hand, she looks up at me, cocks her head, and asks "tea?" in the cutest toddler voice known to mankind. Then, when I set my cup down and turn away, the little bugger takes off with my cup and slurps down whatever remains. I wonder if Elise will like "tea" or not.
Ok, so they aren't exactly my Grandma's recipe, but they are the closest thing I have found to what her cookies were like. She actually used the Tollhouse recipe but did a half and half thing with butter and margarine (according to my mom). Mine actually don't use butter OR margarine but *gasp* butter flavored shortening!! I know, I know, the horror! But, they are a great texture and have a good taste to them.
Mine may not be the most beautiful thing (I have issues with a well rounded spoonful and just do gobs) but my family loves them and they remind me of my grandma.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
3/4 cup butter flavored shortening
1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips
1. Pre-heat oven to 375.
2. Combine shortening, sugar, milk, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Beat egg into mixture.
3. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix into wet ingredients until just blended. Stir in chips.
4. Drop rounded spoonfuls 3 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake 9 minutes.
We went for a boat trip to celebrate Father's Day and had a glorious day despite running very low on gas and engine troubles. All things are are hopefully easily fixed.
Darsie was quite the silly little clam this weekend. Between wearing her glasses upside down (as shown above) and parading around the house naked and wearing a clear backpack full of plastic animals (not featured here but well documented with photos), she had us laughing the whole weekend. Elise is going through an awkward pimply newborn phase, but still cute nonetheless.
Hope everyone else had a great day, too!
When we go out shopping or whatnot, I put D in her stroller or in the shopping cart and wear Elise in a Moby wrap. I don't know if people are just morons or if where we live is really so ass backwards that they've never seen anyone wear a baby except in a bjorn, but I;ve been asked a multitude of times if it is a dog. Next time I'm going to reply "Yes, a mini pinscher that will bite your nipples off."
Is it just me, or does the phone ALWAYS ring as soon as I get settled into a task that isn't easily interrupted (like going to the bathroom or nursing Elise)?
The girls and I are off to the farmer's market while Jeff works on the rental conversion. He hired a motley crew off of Craigslist to assist him in his endeavors. Hopefully they work out and they get a lot accomplished today because tomorrow we are taking the boat out to practice "anchoring".
I'm hoping for a Starbuck's run today as well because I LOVE me a good latte.
I'm also going to bitch about people being late. Normally it doesn't bother me, but now it does because I'm currently living on the "two hour" life plan because of the nursing. I have everybody ready to go and we are waiting on someone (my mother) who is currently half an hour late. Elise will be up soon and wanting to eat which will put us even further behind. By the time we get to the farmer's market they will probably be closing.
I was tempted to title this post "Other Mom Blogs I Read" but then I remember that I hate to be labeled as a cp blog, or a preemie blog, or even a mom blog, so I'm going to lump all these blogs into one "Other Blogs I Read".
Swistle
Dooce
All & Sundry
No Whey Mama
Kathy
Mommy Daisy
Black Sheeped
Anne Nahm
All Dressed Up
They're All Our Children
I've been reading food blogs lately and enjoying both their astounding recipes and mostly their photos of such recipes. I am of a more "simple" food mindset than gourmet but like the idea of collecting recipes from fellow bloggers.
So, anyone up for creating a batch of chocolate chip cookies and posting both the recipe and some photos on their blog?
My inspiration is that Jeff and Darsie LOVE chocolate chip cookies. I'm not too fond of the recipe on the bag of chips and my newest recipe is ok (although Jeff and my family rave about it). I'd love to see other recipes.
ADDED - even if you bake from the back of the bag, do share! It is amazing how different the same recipe can turn out when baked by different people in different environments.
Anyone game? How about a deadline of by the end of June? That gives us all PLENTY of time!
Participants as of June 14, 2007 (will update!)
This Window - cookie entry
Cerebral Palsy Baby - cookie entry
Kathy - cookie entry
No Whey Mama - cookie entry
Swistle - cookie entry
I also baked some ciabatta bread yesterday that was delicious. It would have been two loaves but who knew that dough stuck to wax paper. So instead of two rolls, we got five dinner rolls. They were delicious with oober gobs of butter and a beef roast.
Jeff is out of town for the weekend and where does that find me? Sleeping as much as possible, breastfeeding until the milk is gone and all that remains is dust, and looking up food blogs. I am a secret foodie. I dream of someday going to cooking school and doing something food-related with my life. In the meantime, I collect recipes like a crazed woman and try them out on my husband. He isn't a gourmet by any means, but neither am I. There is something beautiful in simple and delicious foods.
So much for writing about cerebral palsy, huh?
As many of you know (or all of you), both of my girls were born prematurely. Darsie was born at 28 weeks weighing 1lb. 12oz. and Elise was born at 33 weeks weighing 3lbs. 7oz., both due to preeclampsia.
Anyways, today is the March of Dimes Be a Hero for Babies Day. MOD is trying to raise $2 million dollars today. Each dollar donated will be matched by Farmers.
Here is the link. Be a Hero for Babies Day
Excuse this post...I am typing with one hand. We have eradicated the bottles and pump and went full throttle to the breast. It has been over 24 hours and she is settling into it well. Plenty of wet diapers and sore nipples.
I wish I could just "talk" my posts. I'm much more coherent speaking than writing (especially one handed)
This is what I was up to two years ago to the day exactly. Today is also the day that Elise's c-section was scheduled.
One of my favorite bloggers (and nicest people I've met online) had a baby! Congratulations Swistle and family!
Yesterday we took Elise on her first boating trip to a quaint little Nordic town known as Poulsbo. She really liked the boat, or rather the rocking and the sound of the muffled engine and water hitting the hull because she slept through the whole trip, waking only to eat. Darsie is a boat addict, so we always know she will have a good time.
Besides our weekend trip, everyone is doing well. Elise last weighed in at 5lbs. 3oz., so my milk is treating her well. She still isn't nursing that well (off and on), so I ordered a nipple shield in hopes that that will give her more "structure" to get started with. She sleeps 98% of the time and only screams bloody murder when she is super starved.
Darsie is a pulsating monster. She is climbing, running away, eating, and buzzing nonstop. It is a fun stage but very trying, too. We ordered her a Kettrike Junior last week and are anxiously awaiting its arrival.
I am running on fumes and my brain is suffering. I need to remember to eat and sleep more. I am down to about 115 pounds and a size 3 with muffin tops, but am happy to be going down. My pre-preg weight was 107, so we are getting closer!
