About A Boy

Silas in the Tub

2012-01-23T13:40:00.000-08:00

This weekend Silas got a chance to swim alone. Brooks was napping and Silas needed to soak because of his icky diaper rash. So instead of brother Brooks constantly grabbing and taking his toys, Silas was actually able to pick up a toy.

He was so cute with his duck. He chewed and chewed and chewed. I wonder if another tooth is trying to poke through.

He had a good time in the bath, but if he could talk he would probably tell you he missed big brother Brooks antics.

Silas Has Teeth?

2012-01-17T05:41:00.001-08:00

This was my question or should I say surprised statement to the doctor as she examined Silas' mouth last week. Our appointment was the typical two-week-after-the-ear-infection-making-sure-everything-is-okay-appointment. Coincidentally, we were also there because Brooks had crusty-eye. It was an eventful visit because Silas was clear of infection -yeah!- and as it turned out cut two little teeth on the bottom front over New Year's - and I thought he was waking because he was hungry. Also, Brooks had pink-eye which was brought on because of a double ear infection. What? How can this happen? I thought we were done with ear infections for Brooks. So we went home with three prescriptions - eye drops and antibiotics for Brooks and diaper rash cream for Silas. Apparently the stuff that Silas got over New Year's was so powerful it killed off the good stuff that protects him from diaper rash. All this to say, I can't believe I missed Silas getting his first two teeth.

Good news is, we are currently healthy. And as far as I'm aware, Silas still has only two teeth.

The boys have really started to play together.

Even today, Brooks woke up asking for Silas.

I still have to protect my little man from flying objects and body parts . . .

but it is happening less often.

Last week, Mark scored a $10 bike trailer from Goodwill.

He was so happy with his purchase that we used it twice this weekend.

And the boys love it, too. Brooks keeps his hands off Silas and Silas sleeps the whole time. And Momma and Daddy get some much needed exercise.

This Christmas, Brooks got a tent.

Not any old tent, but a turtle tent.

I decided to set it up yesterday in the living room because the boys needed a distraction and I needed a break.

Brooks' favorite part is hanging out with Silas in the tent. He thinks its pretty funny seeing Silas playing in the tent.

He has also found a new potty place in the tent. He likes to hide and poop in his diaper or underwear while he is playing inside. This has been the only downside to this new toy. Speaking of which we are almost potty-trained. I say almost because pooping on the potty is not a regular occurrence. (I apologize if you were completely grossed out by the last paragraph.)

As we are flying through milestones, I am trying to catch my breathe to keep up with these boys.

And We're Back

2012-01-02T18:02:00.001-08:00

After my long absence from blogging, I'm happy to be back. I wish I could say that I was busy doing an interesting project or on a great vacation, but I've been doing laundry (yuck) and taking care of one sick baby. I've learned that sick children consume all of your time - schedules are off, naps are too short, and there are usually frequent night wakings. I've been a wreck the last 3 weeks but it looks like we have gotten over the worse and Silas is finally eating and gaining weight.

For Christmas, we were at Mimi and Papa's in North Carolina.

You wouldn't have guessed it if you looked at this picture, but two of the people pictured above spent most of their time sick with a stomach bug - one of them didn't leave their room for 2 whole days and another two people had bad colds and had to sleep with humidifiers. Despite this sickly bunch, we did manage to enjoy our time together.

Mimi kept the boys busy with all sorts of activities. Here they are decorating presents.

Brooks had so much fun with Rowe. Every morning he woke up asking for cereal and Rowe Rowe.

Silas got in on the wrapping too. Although I would say he did more chewing than decorating.

The boys on Christmas Eve.

Santa was really good to us this year. Brooks got puzzles, drawing paper, play dough, and play food.

And Mark got a banjo!

Amidst all of the celebrating Silas turned 6 months.

He is now sitting up!

He is really excited about this.

We've also started some finger foods along with the solids. It is such a joy to finally have a healthy baby. We had to cut out all the solids and nurse every 2 hours for about a week- it was like having a newborn again - just so he could keep anything in his stomach. At his 6 month appointment he had only gained 5 oz in a about a month, weighing about 17lbs 4 oz. We went to the doctor 3 days later and he had gained 5 oz in those three days after they put him on some powerful antibiotics. I can't tell you his percentile for weight, but he is still 90th in his length. I'm so glad to be done with this awful illness.

New Year's

Because of the plague that hit our house, we stayed in on New Year's Eve. This was the first year Mark and I were in bed by 11pm. At first I was a bit sad that our New Year's would be sorta lame, but honestly we were so tired it didn't matter anyway. The next morning everyone seemed to feel rested and the weather was beautiful so we spent the afternoon outdoors.

Brooks helped Mark with his mulching

and Silas and I just enjoyed the weather.

We also got a chance to do some exercising.

Speaking of exercising, I decided to leave it off of my goals for the year. I love having goals and lists - in fact I write a to do list everyday - but I feel that my energy needs to be focused in other areas of my life. I'm hoping to pray more and worry about the appearance of my house less this year. And for fun, I'm hoping to get back into playing the piano. I've already bought a piece to work on during the year. So in the spirit of sticking to your goals I'm leaving you with a recipe that will help you in the New Year - that is if you are looking to lose weight or eat healthier.

Kale Chips

I've seen this recipe on several food blogs and in a few food magazines. The recipe that I'm using below is from a cookbook I got from Santa (Gwyneth Paltrow's, "My Father's Daughter"). Its a great recipe to use in place of potato chips. Warning: Highly addictive and also a bit messy because the kale turns delicate and crunchy.

Preheat oven to 350. Take one to two good handfuls of washed and torn kale leaves and place in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a good pinch of salt and coat leaves. Spread kale on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Until leaves are slightly browned and crunchy.

Enjoy!

These Are A Few of My Favorite Things

2011-12-21T06:28:00.001-08:00

This year I've needed some reminders of why I love Christmas. It hasn't been an easy month with the potty training, the regression of the potty training, the getting back on track of the potty training, the stomach virus that rocked us like a hurricane, and the laundry that doesn't seem to stop associated with the above. I'm dying for Christmas to come, but for all the wrong reasons - I just want it to be over. I live for the most part a fairly structured life (as structured as I can be with two little ones.) And this year things have been pretty chaotic. But when I start to feel overwhelmed , 'I simply remember my favorite things . . .' (okay enough with the song lyrics). Along with getting on my knees and pleading to God for help, I look around my house and see some things that make my heart and my head remember why I love this time of year.

This is our Advent calendar. It has become one of my favorite activities to do with Brooks. He loves to talk about each character and rearrange them and then I get to share with him about why those characters are so important.

I love this nativity set. You can't tell by the picture but it has a blue cast to it. It was once my Grandmother's made for her by my Mother. At my bridal shower, my Grandmother gave it to me and it has become one of my favorite things to take out of the box at the beginning of the season.

I enjoy decorating the tree with all of our ornaments, but this one is a favorite. It reminds me of snow, which is we are really lacking here in Georgia, and my first year of marriage. It was one of the first ornaments I bought for our tiny tree. I believe Mark and I got in a small disagreement about how much I spent on the ornament, but I loved it from the first moment I saw it.

This is my wall of cards. Growing up my Mother would line the doorways of our home with Christmas greetings from friends and family. I've carried on the tradition, but I place them on my walls like artwork and then leave them up until February. I love being reminded of all the people in our lives.

Chances are I won't be posting again until after Christmas, so Merry Christmas. I hope your holiday is filled with love and you are able to enjoy some moment of peace and rest.

Some Firsts

2011-12-16T15:36:00.000-08:00

We are now on solids. Silas was a bit shocked when I put sweet potatoes in his mouth instead of his usual rice cereal.

Wait for it . . .

Whoa!

What was that?

I don't know Momma . . . its a bit weird.

Oh . . not so bad.

He now enjoys pumpkin, green beans, butternut squash and carrots. Next up, peas.

And now for some counting . . .

He doesn't like one so we have to start him off.

Its Christmas, All Over Again

2011-12-12T19:05:00.001-08:00

Well, its that time of year again when we all get festive and (hopefully) productive to make the most of the season between Thanksgiving to New Years. There are loads of parties and cookies exchanges and cards and presents.

Our first party was at the home of Sullivan. (Do you remember him from Halloween?)

As you know, I'm obsessed with food so I had to include some pictures of the spread.

They were kind enough to have dairy free options just for me.

Except for this - baked brie!

Later in the evening, there was a knock at the door. Who could that be?

Its Santa!

Brooks wasn't so sure.

What a fantastic Santa! He read a story, spent one-on-one time with each child, and gave them each a present.

The adults were enamored too.

Our only shot before Brooks jumped off his lap. Silas was sound asleep upstairs so he missed out on all the fun.

Presents!

Brooks got an airplane. He sleeps with it almost every night.

While the adults, ate, drank, and socialized, the kids made a mess of their living room.

We also learned about a Danish Christmas tradition - decorating an Advent candle. I think this was supposed to be a family activity but of course the moms were the ones who did all the work.

The party got me excited about our own traditions and tree, but we didn't get around to decorating until last weekend.

This is the first year that Brooks really got into the tree.

He got to put the star on the tree (Did you notice his underwear? More on that later.)

We have a few more parties this weekend before the main event. Its been a stressful holiday and to be honest I'll be glad when I can just enjoy my family and not worry about making treats and wrapping and buying presents. I can now see how easy it is to get so lost in the holiday and forget why we are celebrating. Below is a picture of a centerpiece I did for our church's holiday party this past weekend (another stressful planning event - I'm glad I did that though). After the party, I was so convicted about the way I was treating this holiday. I look forward to Christmas every year and this year it has seemed overwhelming and not the least bit exciting. What am I saying to Brooks with all my lists and my negative attitude?

Every evening we add another character to our nativity calendar and Brooks always wants to add baby Jesus, but I tell him that we have to wait for Jesus' birthday to put him in the stable. (Warning - I'm about to get sentimental) His excitement about adding the baby to the calendar has got me thinking about my own attitude towards the holiday. Am I waiting in anticipation for Christ? I've decided that I will not let all the buzz around the holiday ruin the holiday and next year maybe I won't take on so much.

5 Months!

2011-12-10T18:45:00.001-08:00

Hey . . . guess what - I'm 5 months!

Yes, he is almost 6 months by now but I needed an excuse to post these pictures. Even though Silas is more reserved, quiet, and laid back then big brother he has a very silly, goofy side. This precious personality comes out usually when brother isn't around. He could spend at least hour talking, flirting, and laughing at himself or Momma in the mirror. I love how he bashfully looks down when someone grins at him (see below) or how he can make big brother laugh by just smiling at him.

There are moments when I cry (or all three of us are crying for Daddy) because I don't think I can give anymore of myself or my time, but those moments are fleeting. I am reminded everyday of how amazing my boys are and how much love I can have for two special little men.

Oh, and Silas is sleeping through the night!

Happy Christmas, Merry Thanksgiving

2011-12-05T13:12:00.001-08:00

This was our year to spend Thanksgiving in Illinois with my family and then Christmas in North Carolina with Mark's. So we thought we would save on postage and shipping and just open our presents on Thanksgiving with my family. And if we are opening Christmas presents then we might as well have Christmas dinner too.

Papa with Alanaa and Silas.

Brooks couldn't stand these two getting all the attention. If you were to hang out with us for the day, you would most likely hear me say the following phrases multiple times: "Brooks stop touching your brother" or "Brooks your brother doesn't like that" or my favorite "Brooks I think your brother is done with the hugs."

These two love their pacis.

My niece has a lot of personality already.

Mark turned 30 and got to enjoy the cake that ended my affair with dairy (temporarily).

We had to hide the cake during the meal because Brooks LOVES cake. I think it was one of the first 10 words he could say.

Thanksgiving

Glorious pies! My grandmother made not one, but two delicious dairy-free mini pies. She substituted olive oil for butter in the pecan pie.

Everything was amazing. Thanks to my thoughtful family, I didn't feel like I was missing out.

We had so much to be thankful for.

The next afternoon we celebrated Christmas. We attempted to take some family shots but you can probably guess how those turned out.

This one wasn't so bad.

Silas is still a happy content little guy. I feel so blessed.

And Brooks is still my spirited, funny 2 year old.

Because everyone was in their Christmas best we took some family pictures.

Proud Papa. If you are wondering how Brooks is behind the chair, he was sitting on Mark's shoulders.

Alanaa was hungry during our photo shoot so she got the bottle in between takes.

What did I say - this girl has lots of personality.

This was really the first Christmas Brooks needed very little help or prompting to open presents - it was a lot of fun.

Thanks Illinois family for showing us once again another great holiday!

Happy Thanksgiving!

November Pics

2011-12-02T12:45:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago we tried to take a good photo for the Christmas card. Unfortunately it was too close to Silas' naptime and we weren't able to get a good shot.

I love how these boys play together (sometimes).

Adventures as a Dairy Freegan

2011-11-28T12:19:00.001-08:00

Deciding to be dairy free was a hard decision. I LOVE to eat so the thought of being told (again) what I can't eat just kills me. So to make up for all the delicious cheesy and creamy foods I can not consume, I have searched and created a few creations to help me cope.

This first recipe was found at a cooking blog called Silvana's Kitchen (thanks Aunt Shannon). Its a site specifically for those who can not eat dairy or gluten. I am not a big chocolate fan but for some reason I've craved it since I can't have it. I have found several mouthwatering dark chocolate bars, but I wanted something that could top my coconut ice cream. This recipe was my answer. Its essentially Nutella, but without the dairy,

One of the ingredients are blanched hazelnuts. I had no clue what they looked like so I included a picture here if you are interested. By the way, these are hard to find. I was able to find them at Whole Foods.

I have a nice food processor, but its not top of the line so my chocolaty concoction had a few lumps.

It will last for about a month in the fridge (not that it will last that long).

This next recipe was given to me over a year ago before Brooks was born. I had gotten it from a friend (who got it from this site) because I loved the taste and it was easy to make. This recipe has been well used. The original print out has stains all over the paper (I good sign that its a good recipe). I have tinkered with it to make it to my liking.

Basic Dairy Free Scones

I got a bit artsy with this shot. The butter pictured is not actually butter. Its called Earth Balance and it has become a staple in our house.

Of course, Brooks had to get in on the action. He did a great job of mixing . . .

and stirring . . . .

and more stirring . . .

and even entertaining his brother.

I usually make these with blueberries, but I got crazy and did a raspberry/almond mix.

I decided to be a bit naughty (since I won't be using cream) and add sugar on top of each scone.

Brooks couldn't wait for the finished product.

And here's Brooks doing his yummy scone dance.

Here's the recipe:

- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour*

- 1/2 cup of all purpose flour

- 1/4 cup of nectar agave**

- 3 tbsp of sugar (plus more for sprinkling)

- 2 tsp of baking powder

- 3/4 cup almond milk (unsweetened)

- 4 tbsp butter substitute (you could also use real butter)

- 1 egg

- 1/3 cup of fruit

- 1/4 tsp of pure vanilla extract***

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and baking powder.

2. Add butter to the flour mixture and crumble with your hands until it forms small lumps.

3. Beat egg and add to flour mixture. Next add the milk and mix carefully - do not over mix!

4. Carefully fold in fruit.

5. Scoop 1/4 cup size scones 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet.

6. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.

* I usually don't have enough whole wheat flour and have used more all purpose and it comes out fine. As long as you have 2 cups.

**You could use sugar in place of the agave nectar. You could also try honey, but I've never tried

that before.

***I used almond extract to make the raspberry/almond scones.

Rolly Polly

2011-11-16T18:58:00.001-08:00

Guess what we're doing . . .

Silas found his feet. It has taken him awhile because of those precious thighs.

He can now fold into a perfect little, chubby ball which has helped him roll from back to belly.

Great job little man.

Another new trick is spitting.

Little stinker.

He is also moonlighting as a model. We call this look 'Magnum.'

Love you little man.

Shenanigans

2011-11-08T18:27:00.000-08:00

I can't wait for these boys to be able to play together. Silas already thinks Brooks is a riot.

Trying on Momma's glasses. He has already ruined two pairs. Luckily, I rarely buy them over $20.

Last week, we put them both in the bath for their first real bath time together.

They seem to be having a great time and then . . .

Brooks gets excited and decides to splash Silas.

Silas quickly recovered but kept one eye on Brooks for the remainder of the bath.

Trick or Treat

2011-11-03T13:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!

We were lucky to celebrate twice.

Remember Sullivan from the last post? He was kind enough to let us join him at his neighborhood's fall festival.

There were so many things to do: pony rides (we got there too late), a petting zoo, popcorn, cotton candy, bouncy houses, loud music, and a train (Brooks' favorite).

Here they are - Spiderman and a train conductor.

This is Sullivan's Mom with Silas. After this picture was taken he was asleep 5 minutes later.

Too much celebration.

The next day was Halloween. It was perfect weather - honestly it feels like most days down here are beautiful. We got the kids dressed fully expecting to visit maybe three houses since trick or treating didn't start until 7. And I really wanted to pass out candy since I've never really had the chance to do participate in this tradition. Well, two of us made it to three houses. Silas fell asleep after the first house (across the street) and then he was out. So I did get my wish to pass out most of the candy.

I love this picture. All he could move was his eyes, mouth, and hands. It reminded me of Randy in the movie, "A Christmas Story."

Along with our two boys we also went with a few friends from the hood. This was the only picture I could get of them together.

And of course, Brooks didn't want to be in the picture. I almost fell over after we took this shot.

Two of Brooks' preschool/neighborhood playmates - Gabriel the lion and Hudson the dinosaur.

We put them both in the wagon, but it didn't last long.

Enjoying the first of three treats of the night.

It was as much for the adults as it was for the kids.

Hope everyone had a great holiday!

What We've Been Up To

2011-11-02T18:39:00.000-07:00

We've been busy. On Saturday we attended our first neighborhood low country boil and oyster roast.

A low country boil is essentially corn, potatoes, kielbasa, and shrimp thrown into a pot with some old bay seasoning. It was delightful!

Brooks had fun

and so did Silas.

Steamed Oysters

Our shuckin' crew

Earlier that morning, I took Brooks to a cooking class at Salud, a cooking school at Whole Foods. It was a special class for preschoolers. We made all kinds of fall treats.

This is Sullivan. He's one of Brooks' buddies. They get in all kinds of mischief together.

One of the fall treats we made were popcorn balls.

They were pretty easy to make

and Brooks loved them!

We also made meringue bones.

Look how cute he is in an apron.

Speaking of food, Silas is eating cereal.

Look at those cheeks!

I was really impressed by this guy's appetite. He took his first bite (pictured above) with no gags, cries, or complaints. Do you remember Brooks' reaction?

Since we've been doing cereal he has also started to sleep a little better. Not sure if the cereal is helping or he is learning to sleep and nap better. Whatever is happening I hope it doesn't stop.

4 and 2

2011-10-27T17:21:00.000-07:00

The blog has a new look. Click on the new post to get the full story and pictures.

We have a 2 year old and a 4 month old on our hands. I thought it would be cute to get the boys together and take their pictures with their ages written on a piece of paper (I was brave enough to try this on my own). Well, like most things with these two some plans are better in my head.

Silas was trying to suck on the paper (he puts anything in his mouth).

Brooks thought it was funny to see me get flustered at him turning the sign around.

I have no words for this one. I don't even know how Brooks' paper is standing up.

The best of the bunch. I think I took about 20 pictures and this was the best.

Their 2 year and 4 month appointments were today and everyone seems to be growing and healthy.

And now an update on their development. . . .

Silas is still a big kid weighing - 16lbs 1.5oz (69%) and measuring 26.5 inches (90%)

He is still a very happy, active, and strong baby and rarely fusses, but he is still not sleeping through the night (urgh.) The longest stretch has been 7 hours and that was once. We are hoping that he decides to do it again soon.

Brooks is 28lbs (49%) and is 35 inches tall (62%). Luckily, he is sleeping through most of the night. He is a very active, sweet, funny, dramatic, and friendly little guy.

These two are quite a pair.

Poor Silas.

Pumpkin Love

2011-10-18T18:07:00.000-07:00

After a few crazy, warm weeks in Illinois, I was ready to be in my own house. I had mounds of laundry, presents to hide from Brooks, and bags of random things that needed to be put back in their places. We also had doctors appointments. As it turns out, Silas, my happy baby, is dairy intolerant and so like Brooks, I have decided to give up dairy so I can keep nursing. It was sad to find out, but at least this time I have some recipes and experience.

After doing about 10 loads of laundry and finally getting things somewhat in order, I thought its time to prepare for fall. I love holidays and celebrating anything. So I thought it only appropriate that we should have pumpkin pancakes to celebrate the beginning of fall and the pumpkin patch.

When I got up on Saturday morning, I got out the pancake mix and realized that there was dairy in the ingredient list. I would have to make pancakes from scratch. Turns out its not that hard. Here's the recipe I used. These pancakes were so good I made them again the next morning.

Brooks loved them too because he got to use his favorite phrase, "hot cakes."

After breakfast we headed down the road to a church selling pumpkins for their youth mission trip. I had the intention of going to a pumpkin farm and getting apples and mums, but because of the kiddos we opted for Trader Joe's for the apples, Home Depot for the mums, and Sugarloaf Methodist for the pumpkins. I can do the farm next year.

After much work (Mark did most of it), our porch finally looked ready for Tricker-Treaters (this will be our first year).

Did you notice what's in Brooks' mouth? He likes to tease his brother.

I told Brooks to hold his hand. I must have not been clear because Brooks took it to mean pull my brother's arm and then push him into the planter (I did have pictures of this, but did not think I should add them because I want my children to look like they love each other).

Notice how much closer Silas is to the planter in this picture.

My baby Silas cheesing it up in the back.

Happy Fall!

Illinois: Part 3

2011-10-14T06:09:00.000-07:00

The last part of our journey was back in Pinckneyville at Great-Grandma and Grandpa Dempsays. It was awesome to be able to show my little ones memories from my childhood.

He is now obsessed with tractors, trucks, and boats - really anything involved with transportation.

What is not included in this picture is Brooks' naked body. I had taken a shower, gotten out and couldn't find Brooks. I found him on the back porch with Great - Grandma naked eating pears from her tree.

One of the benefits of being woken up at 6am or early every morning.

Brooks developed a bad habit while we were gone.

And now the party. We had a family party to celebrate the 2nd birthday of the cutest choo-choo boy I know.

I had seen a blog on creating a Thomas birthday without a lot of Thomas. I loved it. My mom, Aunt, and me spent most of the day on Saturday trying to get it all together. It really turned out adorable and he had a great time.

We had several jars of candy on the treats table. I would say that Brooks snuck candy the entire party, but hey, it was his party. Turns out he really likes Sour Cherries.

Great-Grandma Clark with two great-grandbabies. Sawyer is 2 weeks older than Silas.

Great-Grandpa Dempsay. My Silas was named after his Grandfather Silas.

Brooks got a lot of rides on golf carts. No wonder he loves cars.

Finally a family shot with everyone looking and no one throwing a fit. Thank You Illinois family and friends for hosting us! We had a wonderful time!

When we got home, we had our own party on his real birthday.

His favorite meal on the "You Are Special Today" plate.

Happy 2nd Birthday Little Man!

Illinois: Part 2

2011-10-12T08:03:00.001-07:00

On this leg of the journey we were at Mark's Grandparents in Springfield and then at my parents in Gillespie.

Silas once again was the perfect lap baby and got a lot of one -on-one time with the grandparents.

This was the best picture I got of Grandpa Ranalletta and the boys. Brooks was not into family shots on this trip.

I love this picture. Not only because its a great shot of both subjects, but I have a boy with blonde-ish hair! I never would've thought that Mark and I would have a kid with light hair.

After several days with the Ranalletta's, we went further south to see my parents in Gillespie.

Another word Brooks started to say was "boat." My dad has a small jon boat and it was parked in the driveway for most of the trip. Brooks enjoyed climbing inside and pretended like he was fishing. He now loves boats.

He also rode his first bike.

This is a precious picture of my dad (Papa) reading to Brooks before bed.

While we were in Gillespie, we visited the St.Louis Zoo. Its supposed to be one of the best in the nation (and it was free). I visited here a lot growing up so it was neat to be able to now take Brooks.

The hippo's (well their backsides)

Elephants (one of my personal favorites)

A quick Momma and boys shot

Penguins

And the Apes

We realized after visiting the Zoo that Brooks likes animals but he really likes things with wheels. We spent most of the time at the Zoo trying to keep Brooks off the Zoo's staff golf carts. At least, it was free and the weather was beautiful.

Back at the house Brooks and Silas enjoyed bath time together.

The next day (after bath time) we went back to St.Louis to visit the Transportation Museum. This was one of Brooks' favorites stops.

Family shot (you can see Brooks wasn't happy about this picture)

Making an airplane with Grammy

Riding the train with Papa and Grammy. It doesn't look like it in this picture, but Brooks had a lot of fun.

So did Silas

Riding the shuttle (another exciting activity that Brooks enjoyed that you can't tell by this picture).

Touring the many train cars on display (that's me, Silas, and my dad)

Brooks loved pushing buttons that turned the signal lights different colors. In fact, we spent several minutes trying to get him away from this area after taking this picture.

Its amazing how the engines on the trains are so big and powerful. It was a great trip and we will probably go there again on our next visit.

There's more . . . .

Illinois: Part 1

2011-10-02T18:08:00.001-07:00

This is the first part of a three series post. We are currently spending 3 weeks in Illinois with friends and family. After being here for 2 weeks I have over 300 pictures so I thought I would start the blogging before it gets too overwhelming.

The first few days we were in Pinckneyville at Grandma and Grandpa Dempsays. We then went up to St.Louis to see a friend and her daughter Aurora who is Brooks' age.

It was great to see close friends and Brooks of course had fun with someone his size.

Silas got a lot of lap time with the grandparents and Brooks got some time on the swing.

This is Ruby Cat. Brooks followed her around everywhere. Each morning he would come to the door meowing looking for Ruby. It wasn't until this trip that he said "cat."

We spent a lot of time outdoors. We had beautiful weather.

I've given up trying to take good pictures with Brooks.

Brooks' two loves: hats and choo-choos.

This was the best salmon I've ever had. My Aunt and Grandpa pan-fried it in a cast-iron skillet. Yum.

Brooks got to learn about fish on this trip. He went fishing with Papa and Grandpa (I wish I had pictures but I was taking a nap) and he discovered the singing Billy Bass. He wasn't crazy about it until he figured out how to push the button to make him sing.

After a few days in Pinckneyville, we headed north to Chicago to see family and friends. Our first stop was at the Nelsons. They have Caleb who is 3 weeks younger than Brooks and Addie who is two weeks older than Silas. Not pictured is the Hardys who also have a little one who isn't too much younger than Brooks. We had a wonderful time visiting with our Illini friends.

While we were in Chicago, we stayed with Grandma Carter and Aunt Jane. Because of Brooks' love of all things choo-choo we went to the Trolley Museum in Elgin to ride a real trolley.

Here he is blowing the whistle.

Silas got more lap time with Grandma Carter and Aunt Jane.

He loved all the attention.

More to come . . . .

Family Shots

2011-09-14T18:30:00.000-07:00

Here's our attempt at taking some family shots. Its so hard to do this with little ones.

This is one of my favorites. Mark was trying to get Brooks in a good mood.

In this picture Brooks wanted Mark who was behind the camera. He loves his dad.

Choo-Choo!

2011-09-14T17:51:00.000-07:00

Last week we took a trip to the Southeast Railway Museum. I had no clue that we had this gem of a place so close to us.

I couldn't believe how many rail cars were there. There were several Pullman cars, steam engines, and other rail cars.

Brooks loved it! I couldn't believe that people used to travel in these luxury cars.

He had a great time. We are definitely coming back!

First Day

2011-09-09T13:16:00.000-07:00

Brooks started preschool this week. His teachers said he did great and he had no problem seeing me leave when I dropped him off.

His pants look weird in this picture. I think the snaps were bunched. They corrected themselves by the time I picked him up at the end of the day. Can't wait for next week!

I Love My Boys!

2011-09-07T19:34:00.001-07:00

Here are just a few pictures I took last week. They are so precious - crazy, but precious.

Best of Both Worlds

2011-09-05T15:37:00.000-07:00

We didn't get a lot of time this summer to do a big vacation so we took two small ones - one in the Georgia mountains and the other to the beach in Florida.

Taking both kids camping in the middle of nowhere with no showers and no bathrooms was a scary challenge for me.

But we did it and had a lot of fun!

We played football

relaxed

swam while Silas napped in his box and fished. The only negative about the whole trip was how much stuff we had to carry in for the boys.

This was the only way we could keep track of Brooks while we took down camp. We hope to do several more camping adventures next year.

This past weekend we went to Port St. Joe, FL unfortunately so did Tropical Storm Lee.

Luckily there were a few things to keep us busy.

Brooks loves trains and was so excited to see one up close. He repeated "choo-choo" about 50 times in under 10 minutes.

We did manage to make it to the beach before the really bad weather hit. This is my niece Alanaa. She was born 6 weeks before Silas.

Brooks wasn't crazy about the water, but he loved the birds and the shells.

Silas hung out in his own tent. What an awesome invention! (thanks Shellie for giving us the idea!)

There were some people fishing and caught a few fish. They even caught a shark.

After our time at the beach, the rain started and didn't let up until the next day.

Because of the rain, we got a chance to hang out with cousins and take some pictures.

We added Brooks and things got a bit louder. We quickly removed him and took some more pictures of the babies.

We had a great weekend (even with Brooks' 4:30am wake-up calls).

Silas is 2

2011-08-29T12:31:00.001-07:00

Little man is 2 months!

I took him to the doctor last week and he got a clean bill of health. His reflux is under control and doesn't seem to be bothered by any foods (thank God!).

He loves to smile. In fact, Mark has nicknamed him Smiley Silas. He will even smile at big brother Brooks.

His stats:

Weight - 12lbs 15 oz. (73%)

Height - 24.25 (85%)

He is still a peaceful and laid back baby. We are still working on sleeping through the night and I think we are getting close to going 9 hours. Wahoo!

Back to the Basics

2011-08-22T18:41:00.001-07:00

Because of our recent addition I've had to find recipes that don't take as much time and can easily be put together without a lot of prep time. These two dishes have been made many times this summer because they taste delicious and are really easy to make.

This first recipe reminds me of summer. Its one that we ate during the summer when we had fresh okra. We love it because it uses bacon and ingredients from our garden.

Trader Joe's has a new product on their shelves that called "Ends and Pieces." Its basically large pieces of uncured bacon. Any type of bacon will work, but pieces with more fat on them of course make a better tasting dish.

Bad picture. I'm still working with my camera and the light near my stove is really bad.

Finished. It tastes even better with a wedge of corn bread with honey. I made some from scratch the other day and decided for now on home made corn bread is the only way to go. It was so easy.

Here's the recipe:

- 3 large vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped

- 2 small green tomatoes (optional) if you don't have any, use another ripe tomato

- 1 small yellow onion, chopped

- 10 to 15 pods of okra, sliced in 1/2 inch rounds

- several slices of bacon

- 1 tbsp of sugar

- 1 tbsp of butter

- salt and pepper to taste

Fry the bacon until crisp. Let drain on paper towels. Add the onion to the pan with the bacon grease and let soften ( 3 to 5 minutes). Add okra and stir until tender (3 to 5 minutes). Add the tomatoes and remaining ingredients and cook until tomatoes have softened (10 minutes). Crumble the bacon back into the okra and tomato mixture and cook another minute. Serve over rice.

This next recipe is so easy and quick, I often let Brooks help me.

I didn't let him put this spoon back into the dish because he licked it as I was taking this picture.

My inspiration came from a Real Simple recipe and I've replicated it several ways at least 5 times this summer. It always turns out perfect.

Peach-Plum Galette:

- 3 ripe peaches, sliced into wedges

- 2 ripe plums (any type will work), sliced into wedges

- 3 tbsp of sugar

- 1 pre-made crust (I like Pillsbury)

- 1 tbsp of milk, egg wash, or water (I've only used water, but any of the three will work)

- 1 tbsp of butter

Preheat oven to 350. Place one crust on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Combine the peaches and plums with 2 tbsp of sugar. Pile the peaches and plums on center of crust with about 2 inches remaining on the sides. Dot the center with butter. Fold the sides and then apply water, milk, or egg wash. Sprinkle the crust with the remaining 1 tbsp of sugar. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (until crust is golden). Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Our Staycation

2011-08-17T19:25:00.001-07:00

This past week we were lucky enough to host Mark's family for a stay-cation. We laid by the pool, had fun at the fountains, went to the park, and ate out a few times.

Brooks and his cousin Rowe took a bath together almost every night.

Silas did this most of the time.

We got the playground all to ourselves because the other kids were in school.

Brooks is still leery of the swings.

They gave each other lots of kisses.

On the last night, Mark took his dad, brother, sister-in-law, and cousin to a Cubs/Braves game. Mimi and I stayed home with the boys. It was a bit crazy.

I thought it might be a good opportunity to take some pictures of them all together. I took almost 30 pictures, but none of them had all 3 three looking at the camera. They were so funny together. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Here's a video of Brooks dancing that evening.

It might not have been the most relaxing week but we still had a great time.

A Week in Pictures

2011-08-12T16:46:00.000-07:00

Last week I turned the big 3-0. Since I now have 2 healthy little men, I think that I have accomplished quite a lot.

I really wanted a great picture of me and my boys on my birthday, but Brooks had other ideas.

Mark jumped in the picture and it turned out to be a great family shot. Maybe I'll try 'the mom and her 2 boys' shot in a couple of weeks.

My little bean has become a long string bean. He is such a wonderful, peaceful baby.

I was going to take a picture of my family's new favorite food, but we were so excited to eat (we each had around 4 helpings) I wasn't able to capture the dish. I discovered the recipe in one of my Italian cook books. The magic wasn't the noodles or the squash or the onions in the dish, but the delicious pesto sauce. It was so simple: 3/4 cup of roasted and salted pistachios, 2 cups basil, 2 garlic cloves, and lots of olive oil. I sauteed the chopped garlic in about a tbsp of olive oil for 30 seconds (until you can smell it). Then I combined all the ingredients in a food processor with the garlic and added enough oil (while blending) to make a thin paste. It was so good I'm heading to Trader Joe's tomorrow to get another bag of pistachios.

In two weekends we are going camping. This trip will not only be my first trip with little guys, but our first camping trip together. We were so excited that we thought we should set up our new tent in the backyard before the big event.

Brooks was a lot of help.

The finished product.

This last photo is of our garden. We started small - really small - with seeds. Now our garden is like a jungle. I have so many tomatoes and okra and several bushes of basil - I'm running out of ideas for recipes. When people come to see us, they go home with a bag of fresh vegetables. Its been a lot of work - Mark's being doing most of it - but its been totally worth it. We are already planning our garden for next year.

Resemblance

2011-08-06T17:53:00.000-07:00

There has been some discussion recently about who Brooks looks like. I think this picture answers that question.

By the way, this is me. I found the picture this week as I was looking through my photo boxes.

My Boys

2011-08-05T18:48:00.000-07:00

I love the time right after dinner. Everything begins to slow down. The boys get their baths, stories read, and prayers are said. This past week I thought I would take a few shots of my boys.

Brooks is really proud of his brother.

The Perfect Peach Pie

2011-08-02T05:24:00.000-07:00

This pie is by no means the best that I have ever tasted. The reason why I am calling it "The Perfect Peach Pie" is because it is so simple and it was easy to get Brooks in on the fun.

Brooks is usually under toe in the kitchen and we recently got him his own kitchen (only $7 at a yard sale - thank you Stephanie!) so he can do his own cooking. This week he has been experimenting with Silas' pacis, pistachio shells, and magnetic letters from the fridge all cooked together in his singing cookie jar. I love to see him multitasking between his microwave, stove, and his washing machine. It has been one of the best $7 we have ever spent.

The amount of peaches that I've been purchasing lately has been a bit crazy. I needed something to do with them so why not make a pie? I was watching the Today Show and Martha Stewart was demonstrating how easy it was to make summer fruit pies. A light went off in my head and I decided it would be the perfect activity for Brooks and I.

He helped with stirring the peaches and then smashing up the crumble topping. He also pretended to help me roll the crust.

He couldn't wait for it to be done.

The ingredient list is pretty short: flour, peaches, sugar, store bought pie crust, cinnamon, old fashion oatmeal, brown sugar, and butter.

First combine 3 -4 sliced peaches with a tablespoon of flour and 2 tablespoons sugar with a dash of cinnamon. Then smash 1/3 cup butter, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour with 3 tablespoons oatmeal and a dash of cinnamon (or more if you like). Pour peaches into the crust and then the crumble topping. Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes (until crust looks done). Tip: use a metal pie plate to evenly cook bottom crust.

I've also been doing a lot of cooking using ingredients from our garden. The picture below is what I'm calling Summer Vegetable Pasta. I've made it twice this week and I will be making a version of it tonight for dinner. We grilled vegetables (squash, onions, and eggplant) and then combined with tortellini, basil, fresh garden tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar.

Bon Appetit!

Potty Training

2011-07-29T05:31:00.000-07:00

Brooks has been showing all the signs that he is ready to sit on the potty. So I read the books, bought the underwear (Thomas the Tank Engine - his favorite), and the special potty seat. We discussed what words we would use when it was potty time and how to encourage him to sit on the potty. After a full day of no diapers (and many accidents), I was talking to the doctor during Silas' appointment about potty training my toddler (I was hoping that she would be impressed by my decision to do it early) and was surprised to hear her say, "its not going to work." In her many years of practicing, she had only seen 5% of her male patients train before the age of 30 months. After the appointment I decided not to feel defeated, but relieved. We had such a hard day of training and I really didn't want to do another day. So after hearing the doctor's opinion, we decided to stop the hardcore training and approach it again when he turns two.

During potty training, Brooks discovered the mirror. After each "potty time," Brooks used the stool in the bathroom to wash his hands. Because he was on the stool he could see himself in the mirror and he realized this was another chance to make someone laugh. He then started posing, making faces, and noises to entertain himself. It was so funny I video tapped it. I tried to upload it on the blog, but it didn't work. Here's the link on youtube. Enjoy!

One Month

2011-07-25T17:48:00.001-07:00

We have survived one month. Time has truly flown by.

This little guy is beginning to put on the pounds. At his one month, he weighed 10lbs 14oz (69%) and was 23 1/4 long (89%). He is in great health and his reflux seems to be under control.

He is definitely looking less like his brother the older he gets. I think he will have blonde hair when he gets older.

I love his big feet!

This weekend he got his first dip in the pool. We only put him in up to his knees because I didn't have a swim diaper. I was surprised that he didn't flinch when placed in the water.

Brooks, like usual, was fascinated by his hat and wanted to splash him. They are going to have so much fun together when Silas is able to defend himself.

Also, Silas is rolling from his belly to his back. I couldn't believe the first time he did it, so I put him back on his belly and he did it again. The second time I caught it on video.

The Farm

2011-07-25T16:49:00.001-07:00

Brooks, Silas, and I went with some friends up north to a farm to get up close to some animals. The farm had cows, sheep, goats, donkeys, chickens, rabbits, cats, pigs, dogs, horses, a few ducks, and some monster-sized horseflies.

This is Farmer Sue. She owns and runs the farm. Can you see her string of pearls around her neck? She also had on a pair of very worn work boots which made for quite and outfit. She was wonderful with the kids and we hope to see her again soon. All the children got a chance to not only get up close to the animals, but hold, brush, and pet them as well.

Brooks was a bit skittish around all the animals except the chickens and a dog named Rose.

Silas seemed very small next to all the animals. Luckily, he slept through most of the outing.

The kids even got a hay ride through the pasture.

Brooks even got a chance to "drive" the tractor. I thought he would be more enthused, but at this point in the morning he was tired because of all the running around and the 95 degree weather.

I hope we get to make the trip again, but maybe next time it won't be so warm.

Back in the Swing

2011-07-17T13:37:00.000-07:00

As each week passes, we are able to get more to do items done despite having two little ones under two.

One of my "to do" items for last week was to freeze peaches. I LOVE! peaches. This is the only time of year I buy them so when they are in season I can't get enough. I always get more than I need so I can save them for winter. I really don't like freezing them, but I know I will be thankful in several months that I took the time.

Another "to do" was to get Silas into cloth diapers. I had to wash them about 3 times before actually using them. Once that process was over, I found that they are really great. I'm so glad we made the investment.

Plus no one looks quite as good in Kermit green as this little man. Who doesn't love a baby with a big green bum?

And this last big task was one we had put off for at least two months. It took most of the afternoon. Luckily Brooks was asleep for most of it or we wouldn't have gotten it done.

Mark and I had bought a cool dining set at a yard sale when we lived in D.C. with the intention of covering the seats.

We finally did it. I know it doesn't sound hard, but because of the way the legs were attached it made it slightly more difficult than your regular dining chair.

They turned out amazing!

Bike Ride

2011-07-13T13:19:00.000-07:00

Mark recently bought a bike seat for Brooks so we bought him a helmet the next day. Brooks thought it was the coolest thing, especially when Mark put his helmet on they rode off down the road.

Here are some bonus shots of Silas. My Aunt Terri and cousins, Taylor and Jana came to visit us this past weekend. Brooks and Silas soaked up all the attention.

Silas

2011-07-08T06:47:00.001-07:00

I know he has been properly introduced to the world and there are a few facts about him that you already know, but as he has begun to wake up and we've had a few days with him there's a lot about Silas that you may not know. So this post is entirely about him.

Facts: He loves to eat SLOWLY - it takes about 30 minutes for him to complete his meal. He now weighs 9lbs 8oz. He has gained over 19oz in less than 3 weeks. He still really likes to sleep. Silas has started to wake up only 1-2 times a night! Yeah! He has outgrown his newborn clothes and is getting ready to start wearing cloth diapers (I hope I can handle all the laundry). He doesn't mind his brother's attention (Notice I said doesn't mind - he doesn't really like it but he also doesn't dislike it - as long as he doesn't get whacked across the face). Silas looks a lot like his brother (see below picture - its Brooks). There are a few differences between their pictures. The main one being their hair color. Silas has light brown while Brooks had dark. Silas is dairy sensitive not intolerant (thank God!) so far. We still are crossing our fingers. He screams not cries. This has turned into an amusing cry rather than one that makes my blood pressure rise.

Some of you know how nervous I was to have another little life that I was responsible for living under my roof. I didn't know how I could possibly love another child as much as Brooks or how I could care for both little ones, my husband, my home, and still have a little time for myself. Now that our little boy is here, I can't imagine not having him. He has perfectly fit into our lives and we have had to make few adjustments. I am so thankful that God has chosen Mark, Brooks, and I to love him and care for him.

We love you Silas!

Little Helper

2011-07-08T06:26:00.001-07:00

We have basil! and loads of it!

I decided I wanted to make pesto for dinner and Brooks really wanted to help. I was hesitant at first, but after I showed him what I was doing he made the perfect helper.

The only problem was he couldn't stop eating it.

Since pesto making went so well, I thought why not laundry?

He once again did a great job helping me load and unload the clothes. He found this bonnet in the laundry that is obviously for a newborn (see above picture) but he insisted on wearing it.

Happy Fourth!

2011-07-04T16:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July!

We started out our celebration by attending our neighborhood's bike parade. I hope that Brooks and Silas will be able to participate next year.

I then attempted to take some pictures of Brooks and Silas. Brooks really loves his brother so much that it made taking good pictures of the two of them almost impossible.

I am really looking forward to Silas being able to play (or hit or hug or kiss or kick) his brother back. I love having two little boys.

Also this weekend we attended a friend's wedding in Virginia. Mark and I took Silas and left Brooks with his grandparents and headed north.

I love this picture. Silas has huge feet.

This is basically what Silas did the entire evening of the wedding. We felt very lucky to have such a laid back kid.

The venue of the wedding was amazing. Those are the Blue Ridge Mountains behind us.

This is Silas during the ceremony. Like I said before he slept the whole night.

We got to hang out with some great friends and meet some new ones. It was so nice to be able to get a few days to focus entirely on Silas (and not run after a very active 20 mth old).

While my family was here, Brooks got to spend a lot of time in the pool with his Grammy. He loves the water.

But I think his favorite activity is giving his brother kisses.

Hope you had a restful Fourth!

Going Home

2011-06-26T17:45:00.000-07:00

We are finally home. We've been home for awhile, but things have begun to slow down and a routine is beginning to take shape.

I can't believe how tiny he looks in his car seat.

We've had a lot of visitors.

Brooks is still adjusting to life with Silas. I think when all the excitement settles down he will too.

We're doing a lot of lounging . . . by the pool

and with Papa.

Silas' first bath

One with his eyes open. This doesn't happen very often - he still sleeps a lot.

What's In a Name?

2011-06-21T20:14:00.001-07:00

Picking out a significant, cool but not too trendy, strong, not too difficult to pronounce, and classic name is a difficult task. One that we put off for about 37 weeks when we finally started to discuss names. Over the last few weeks we figured once we saw the baby the name would soon follow. We were wrong. We went back and forth between several names for the first day of this little guy's life. It wasn't until this evening when the birth certificate lady came around for the second time that we realized we needed to decide on a name and stick with it.

So I would like to officially introduce . . . Silas Dempsay Carter.

Once again we stuck with the family names. Silas is the name of my (Tara) great great grandfather and is also a Biblical name. We liked that Silas was a friend of Paul's in the Bible. Our prayer for this little one is that he may someday follow Christ's calling for his life. Silas is also a name that Mark had chosen earlier on during the whole naming process. Dempsay is my mother's maiden name and a name that we both liked from the beginning.

Introducing....Baby # 2 !!!!

2011-06-21T04:11:00.001-07:00

Here is baby #2. For now, we're calling him TBD. We'll keep you updated when we decide on a name for sure.

He weighed 8 pounds 5 ounces

21 inches long

Born at 12:43 am, June 21, 2011

For those of you who are curious, we went to the hospital around 1:30pm on Monday, Tara was 5cm dilated and 100% effaced. Labor progressed steadily and slowly for the next few hours. They broke her water at around 11:15pm when she was 7.5 cm dilated, then by 12:15 she was ready to push. After a few short pushes, our little guy was born on the first day of summer!

Tara is feeling pretty good.

Thank you for your prayers!

Update 2

2011-06-16T17:44:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in our last blog, it has been hot with no rain to cool us off. So we have been enjoying another way to keep cool - fountains. We are lucky enough to live near two fun town centers with fountains for the little ones to play.

Two of Brooks' favorite topics of conversation are shoes and Dada. So what could be better than wearing Dada's shoes and talking about them.

Our first zucchini. The garden is rapidly growing. Can't wait for the tomatoes!

I don't know if his mouth is open because he's excited or because he was talking to me while I was taking the picture.

Lastly, I'm now 39 weeks. I don't think I can get bigger.

Alanaa

2011-06-04T08:29:00.001-07:00

Our weather has been so hot in the last week (90+ for over a week) so we have been using the pool alot. Brooks has no fear of the water. He jumps off the side without hesitation. While its fun to have a little one so excited about the water, it has made us nervous. When Mark is home we sometimes head down to the neighborhood pool because Brooks loves to watch other kids. He goes back and forth betweeen the baby pool and the big pool trying to do everything the older kids are doing. When Mark isn't home to run afer Brooks around the pool, our water table has been a great distraction during these hot afternoons. Its nice because he stays entertained and waters our garden at the same time.

This past weekend we were able to finally meet my niece Alanaa. Its been fun to watch Brooks interact with her so we can see how he will be with his new baby brother or sister. For the most part he is gentle with her and a bit curious of this new little creature. He likes to point at her eyes (sometimes in her eyes) and her ears and gives her many kisses (I think he likes the reaction he gets from us after). He has given her at least 20 kisses in the past hour. We've also gotten out the boppy and bouncy seat for Alanaa's visit and to prepare for the new baby. He has tried to sit in it a couple of times and when Alanaa is in it he wants to bounce her alot. So we do have to work on that. Overall, he has really enjoyed having a little baby around. I hope this will continue after the baby is born. Here are some pictures of her visit.

Updates

2011-05-19T18:17:00.000-07:00

Here are a few updates of our life lately.

My sister, Breana, graduated with her M.B.A. Way to go! (and Brooks is still not posing for pictures).

Brooks' new favorite food is green beans. He likes them raw or cooked (I couldn't keep his hands out of the bowl). My guess this will change next week according to his recent pattern.

We have veggies! Our garden is growing.

I'm 35 weeks! We've begun to feel the pressure of preparing for a little one. We are checking off lists, reading books, discussing names, and washing tiny clothes. In a couple of weeks, I think I'll finally be ready. Hopefully #2 will be ready too.

"Ooo"s

2011-05-19T17:12:00.000-07:00

Brooks has lately been repeating alot of words and sounds. Most of them have a "ooo" sound like "shoe", "pool", "choo-choo", and "moo." Here's a video of him using two of these words. Also, the first time I ask him what a cow in this video he makes his chicken noise - its his default animal noise.

New Shoes

2011-05-10T10:28:00.000-07:00

Brooks recently got a new pair of shoes from his Great-Grandma and Grandpa Ranalletta. I love the way he says "shoes and socks" (His "shoe" sounds more like "sue"). He loves shoes and in this video he even does a little prance because he is so excited about showing me his new shoes.

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-09T06:50:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I was able to celebrate my second Mother's Day. Mark took me out to brunch, I took a nap, I was able to read by the pool, and I did zero cleaning. It was a relaxing day as I thought about the joys and hardships of being a mother and also the upcoming arrival of my second child.

My sister Alissa was able to experience Mother's Day for the first time as she welcomed her first baby into the world yesterday. It is a rare occurance to become a mother on Mother's Day, but my sister isn't the first to have this experience in my family. Alissa was born on Mother's Day. What are the odds? Because she became a mother on Mother's Day a local news station interviewed her yesterday.

http://www.wmbb.com/Global/story.asp?S=14596307

I hope everyone had a restful and relaxing Mother's Day.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame . . .

2011-05-02T19:00:00.000-07:00

This Sunday we got the chance to take Brooks to his first major league game - Braves vs. Cards. I was a bit nervous that it would be difficult to sit with an 19mth old for 9 innings. Surprisingly, he made it through 8 without any problems. I think the big screen, food, and music helped.
He had fun sharing snacks with his friend Hudson and dancing.

I doubt we will go to anymore games this summer with the second one on its way in just a few weeks. Maybe we can go again next summer.

Food

2011-05-02T18:31:00.000-07:00

Spring and Summer put me in the mood for cooking (especially since I'm pregnant). I've been trying new recipes and pulling out old ones that are perfect for this time of the year. The first is from a food blog that I've been following. I've tried a couple of her recipes and they have all turned out awesome. The cake below is one of those recipes. Its a pina colada cake. I was drooling when I saw this recipe because it incorporates some of my favorite flavors - pineapple and coconut (not to mention, its the safest way I can currently enjoy the taste of this delicious drink).

This next one is an old favorite. I think I've made it about 10 times, which is alot for me who is always trying out new recipes. It is definitely my favorite chicken salad. Its the perfect combination of sweet and spicy. I got it from epicurious.com
I've changed the recipe slightly. Instead of boiling my own chicken, I found rotisserie chicken is delicious and easy, I add more yogurt and less mayo, and a little less curry (4 tsp.) unless you like it spicy. We like to eat ours with greens and naan.

Easter

2011-04-30T18:56:00.000-07:00

I have finally got around to the Easter post. We've been busy adjusting to life after having visitors and my sister's wedding. Below are some pictures taken of the Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday. We went to Sunday service and then headed to a friend's neighborhood egg hunt. It was a hot, but fun afternoon.

This is Brooks' buddy Sullivan. Eventhough he is a few years older than Brooks, they don't seem to notice.

Brooks wasn't crazy about the Easter Bunny.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!

The Wedding

2011-04-28T03:32:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we drove down to Florida to be a part of my sister's wedding. It was a quick trip (Friday morning to Saturday morning), but a great excuse to see my grandparents, parents, and sisters.

The happy couple - James and Alissa

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Alissa is 6 weeks ahead of me. She is due the second week of May.

Spending time with Great-Grandpa Dempsay and Grammy.

Pictures

2011-04-28T03:16:00.000-07:00

Brooks has become a very animated little boy. One of his favorite activities is making people laugh. We recently hosted my family and Brooks spent much of his time putting things on his head, running in circles, or throwing objects to make everyone laugh. He sometimes will try to start laughing which sounds like gagging or coughing because its forced. He is one silly little guy.

The Hunt

2011-04-19T05:28:00.000-07:00

After our trip to D.C. we pulled up to our house to find a "Yard of the Month" sign in front of our mailbox. Mark and I couldn't believe that our house would be picked for this award. We figure its because a year ago (before we moved in) our grass was up to your waist. So our award should have been "Most Improved." We were proud to be recognized, especially Mark since he is the one that put in all the hard work.

On Sunday, a nearby park hosted an egg hunt. When we arrived, Brooks was out.

As soon as he heard the music and opened his eyes and saw all the kids, he was wide awake.

These are his dance moves - running in circles. Sometimes we may get a little hip or head action, but usually its just running in circles with enthusiasm.

Its getting harder to take pictures of Brooks especially after waiting for over an hour for the eggs.

We were surprised at how quickly he caught on to the idea of hunting eggs.

On our way back home, Brooks opened all his eggs. He was asleep within 30 seconds of this picture.

D.C.

2011-04-12T18:42:00.000-07:00

We just got back from a fun week in D.C. Mark had to go there for work and we thought it would be a good chance for us to reconnect with old friends and introduce Brooks to some of our favorite things about the place he was born. I forgot our camera during the first part of our trip plus it rained, so I have no pictures of us at Natural History or Zoo. We did take some pictures of us at a friend's farm a short drive from the city. It was nice to let Brooks run, climb, and get dirty instead of being stuck a hotel room for the morning.

Brooks found many things to climb on.

Hanging out with old friends Elsie and Benton

Mark and Brooks at Air and Space.

Over the weekend we stopped at little cousin Rowe's house.

I couldn't believe how big this guy has gotten.

We also stopped at a BBQ joint in North Carolina to see Mimi. Brooks got a balloon-sword and a ride on a pig outside the restaurant.

Below are two recent photos of my belly at 30 weeks. I thought the first one doesn't show how big I really am and the second makes me look bigger so just imagine that I'm a mixture of the two.

KangaZoom!

2011-03-25T18:54:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Groupon and LivingSocial we've enjoyed a night at the movies, a delicious dinner, an afternoon tea, a few classes at Gymboree, and admission to KangaZoom. KangaZoom is basically a huge gym for little ones. There are televisions playing movies and cartoons, blocks, a batting cage for 2 yr olds, and huge bouncy houses all in one building. Its everything a toddler would love.

Brooks' first stop was a small table in front of a t.v. This kinda surprised me since he won't sit still for a movie at home. Maybe it was the rocking chairs that were just his size?

His next stop was a giant slide. He was first afraid, but after me carrying him up once (not a small feat for a pregnant woman) and a kind mom who was watching us took him up a second time he was ready to do it all by himself. I was so proud of him figuring out how to climb the ladder despite the older kids climbing over him and then going down the big slide all on his own.

I tried to capture his expression as he was going down the slide. He had a terrified look on his face the whole time, but then wanted to do it over and over again.

I think his favorite spot was a giant jumping mat. He did so many circles and laughed so hard I thought he would for sure crash as soon as we got home. Of course, I was wrong - he took a 45 minute nap.

Fun Outside

2011-03-25T18:37:00.000-07:00

Below are some pictures that I took last week during a warm spell. I think there were 3 days that it was above 80 degrees! Brooks had fun with water, his slide, and bubbles with Mimi.

The weather has gotten cooler again, but I think winter is far behind us and summer is on its way.

Independence

2011-03-17T19:06:00.001-07:00

Every week I find Brooks wanting to do more things on his own. I'm not complaining, but it can become a lot to clean up and keep track of him.

He has started to completely feed himself including yogurt. He actually does a pretty good job.

We've recently been suffering from allergies and colds, so Brooks learned to blow his own nose. The only problem is he wants to do it all the time.

This last video doesn't really show his independence, but I just thought it was funny. He was napping, at least I thought.

Also, we have hit a milestone - no paci! We gave it up at the beginning of February. It took him about 3 days. Suprisingly it wasn't as hard as I thought. I was really dreading it because it meant we would have to reteach him to calm himself and it meant that he was really a toddler.

Savannah

2011-03-13T17:18:00.001-07:00

This past week we got a chance to visit Savannah. Its one of the those places that has been on my "to see" list for some time. We ate at some incredible places including, Back in the Day Bakery (not quite as good as Georgetown Cupcakes, but close), The Crab Shack, The Lady and Sons (kind of a disappointment), and Uncle Bubba's Oyster House. Along with food, Savannah is packed with historical sites and beautiful buildings. We had a wonderful time feasting on seafood and learning a bit about Georgia's history.

This was a platter for two at the Crab Shack - it included mussels, two kinds of crab, crawfish, shrimp, potatoes, sausage, and corn. This plate of seafood could have easily feed 5 people. Mark packed up the leftovers, but we didn't even get close to finishing.

Brooks went crazy over the food. He was picking the meat out of the mussels, stuffing shrimp and crawfish in his mouth, and sucking on the corn. The only thing he wasn't crazy about was the crab. How does a 17 mth old even know the difference between crab and crawfish?

The restaurant made you feel like you were in a tree house overlooking a marsh. It was a fun place, especially for Brooks. In the picture above, Mark and Brooks were looking at the baby alligators in front of the restaurant.

After lunch, we headed to the beach (there were actually people swimming). He had been in the car at this point for about 4 hours and he needed to work out some energy.

As I mentioned above, we got to see some historical sites during our stay. Above is a fountain at Forsyth Park . . .

and this is the Mercer-Williams House (the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was based on this house). As you can see from the picture, Brooks is becoming very difficult to photograph. He won't hold still so we have a lot of shots of us trying to contain him. Eventually we gave up and realized that it wasn't going to work.

This is The Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist. It was a beautiful church, but we unfortunately didn't get a chance to see the inside.

After a day of walking around, Brooks was so excited to see a playground. He is independent enough now where I don't have to watch him quite as closely which is good because I don't think I could keep up with him.

Babble

2011-03-02T05:58:00.000-08:00

Brooks has really begun to communicate with us. He uses a mixture of sign language, words, and babble. I've been trying to get the latter on video, but every time the camera comes out he stops. What's so funny about the babble is his delivery. His babble sounds like he is really talking, but of course it makes no sense. Usually he does it when he gives his opinion or when he is telling his side of the story. This video is my poor attempt to capture it. He had just broken a wooden easel and I was asking him what happened.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SCpaVn5dkI

February?

2011-02-22T10:13:00.001-08:00

Where was February? Not only did it fly by, but most days we don't wear coats or jackets and have gone outside almost every afternoon. I do miss the snow, but if this is a February in the south I think I would rather keep the snow, ice, and freezing cold in the north. Mark and I were even able to have smores next to our fire pit while he sat in shorts and I in a T-shirt at 7pm last night! This weather has really gotten us in the mood for spring.

As February has passed by quickly, so has this pregnancy. I think I can say I've officially popped. I'm now in mostly maternity wear and get questions regularly about my growing belly. My favorite comment is "your pregnant again?" To this I politely smile.

23 weeks

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T18:48:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

Every Valentine's Day, my mom would make us a heart-shaped yellow cake with chocolate frosting. To this day it is my favorite cake frosting combo. This year I thought I would continue the tradition, but since its not a good idea to leave a pregnant woman alone with a cake I thought it would be wise to make cupcakes and share with neighbors. I got the recipe from http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/07/best-birthday-cake/. It turned out wonderful, moist, and not-to-sweet cupcakes.

Brooks watched the whole process and was anxious to try one when they were done.

In other news, we are beginning our garden.

Brooks wanted to be with Mark outside. So I put on his shoes and let him run around the backyard while Mark worked. He came back in dirty and with several scrapes on his knees and hands. He had a great time.

Alissa's Shower

2011-02-09T06:22:00.000-08:00

Last week Brooks and I left dad at home and headed north to Illinois to celebrate my youngest sister's baby shower. It was a long drive (around 11 hours). Luckily we just purchased a portable dvd player which made the trip a little easier.

It was so nice to wake up to blueberry pancakes.

As much as I love the mild winters in Georgia, I miss waking up to the snow. Not sure if you can see, but there was ice on all the trees. It looked like ice crystals that you put on your Christmas tree. It was beautiful.

I thought this progression of pictures was funny. Brooks looooves animals and my Grandmother's cat Ruby loves people, but Brooks got a little too close. After the last picture she jumped up and ran to another bed.

Since Brooks was a little guy, Mark and I have been giving him haircuts. Usually they turn out to be lopsided with large chunks in random places. It usually looks pretty sad. Mom decided he needed a proper cut. So here he is getting his first official haircut.

The sucker was a great distraction.

He even got a certificate saying he was officially a big boy. Unfortunately he wasn't too happy. So I tried to take another shot the next day . . .

Well at least we have the picture that shows he was happy during the cut.

That weekend my mom, me, and my sister Breana hosted a beautiful shower for my other sister Alissa. She is due only 6 weeks before me and she is having a girl. My mom did an amazing job with the food, diaper cakes, and decorations.

Don't the cupcakes look delicious?

She got some beautiful presents.

Even though the shower was for Alissa, Brooks still got a lot of attention.

Here she is, the star of the party. This picture perfectly describes her without any words.

The party was also a wonderful time to visit with family.

We had a wonderful time seeing friends and family and look forward to the arrival of little Alanaa Marie in May.

Greek Couscous Salad

2011-01-26T10:20:00.000-08:00

I've been craving foods from the Mediterranean recently. This was my answer to the cravings. I created this salad to go with the mint yogurt sauce, flat bread, and lamb meatballs shown below (I got the recipe from Real Simple). This salad is quick, healthy, and delicious the next day. I decided to roast the tomatoes because its impossible to get good tomatoes in the winter. To roast the tomatoes, heat the oven to 425 and place the tomatoes on a baking sheet with olive oil and salt and pepper. Heat for 20 minutes and then let cool.

Greek Couscous Salad:

- 3/4 cup couscous
- 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 peeled cucumber, chopped into bite size pieces
- handful of fresh parsley chopped (mint and dill optional)
- 1 to 2 tbsp of lemon juice
- 1 to 2 tbsp of rice vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp drained capers (optional)
- 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts (optional garnish)
- feta cheese (optional garnish)
- Olive Oil (optional garnish)

Heat the chicken broth to boiling. Take off the heat and add the couscous. Cover with a lid for 10 minutes. While the couscous cooks, prepare the rest of the ingredients and place in a medium sized bowl. When couscous has sat for 10 minutes, fluff with fork and allow to cool for a few minutes. When cooled add to bowl with the rest of the ingredients. To garnish, add the pine nuts, feta cheese, and a few swirls of olive oil.

Fun in the Kitchen

2011-01-26T10:00:00.000-08:00

We are always in the kitchen so Brooks has found ways to keep himself busy while I'm cooking.

Here he is with the salad bowl:

You can imagaine what happened after this picture. He only cried for a few seconds.

Brooks loves my bottom drawer filled with dish towels, oven mitts, and his spoons. He spends the majority of his time sitting in the drawer, throwing around the dish towels, and scattering his spoons around the kitchen.

Healthy Baby, Happy Mama

2011-01-17T17:48:00.000-08:00

Baby Update:

The baby and I are progressing nicely and everyone seems healthy. I am over morning sickness (or evening sickness in my case) and have begun to much feel better. I appear larger in this photo than I really am. I think its the shadow behind me.

More Soup

2011-01-10T14:47:00.001-08:00

I think this weather plus the need to get more veggies into our diet has gotten me in the mood for soup. What's not to love about soup? Its usually healthy, easy to make, and there are so many ways to make this body warming dish. I used Italian Wedding Soup as my inspiration for this soup.

Tortellini and Meatball Soup:
Serves 4-6

1 small onion, chopped
2 medium cloves of garlic, minced
1 celery stalk, chopped
6 cups of low sodium chicken broth
4 cups of water
1/2 cup white wine
2 tbsp. pesto
1 tsp. fresh thyme
1 package of cheese or pesto filled fresh tortellini
About 15 frozen meatballs, thawed and cut in quarters
2 1/2 cups of kale, chopped
1 can cannelli beans, drained and rinsed
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Parmesan

Saute onion, celery, and garlic until tender in the olive oil. Add wine, broth, water, pesto, and thyme. Cover and bring to a simmer. Add the kale, tortellini, meatballs and beans. Cover and cook until kale is tender (about 15 minutes). Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parmesan.

*You can substitute spinach for the kale and broth for the wine.

It was delicious!

Snow in Atlanta

2011-01-10T14:15:00.000-08:00

This weekend we had some cold weather so we were stuck inside. Plus, we all had the sniffles. So I had to find ways for us to stay entertained.

As a way of keeping him entertained while I cook, I have been giving him his own bowl. He usually stays occupied for at least 5 minutes.

We've also been playing alot with our many riding toys.

Then on Saturday we found out we would be getting some snow the next night. I thought maybe an inch or two, but then it started snowing and it didn't stop for several hours.

And this is what we woke up to on Monday.

Mark didn't have to work, so we headed outside for Brooks' first time sledding. Yes, he has plastic bags on his feet. I didn't think we would be needing boots in Atlanta.

He wasn't as crazy about sledding or the snow as we were hoping. Maybe we can hope for a better time next winter.

Lentil Soup

2011-01-05T17:25:00.001-08:00

Tonight we ate a delicious meal. Several months ago (before I was prego), I bought a large container of yellow lentils in hopes of making more meals with this delicious and healthy legume. (Did you know that lentils have more protein than soybeans?) Well a few months pass and I forgot about them. Last week, as I was looking through my pantry trying to decide what to make this week I spotted them in the very back of the pantry and decided to give them a try. I looked up yellow lentils on the web and came up with this recipe. It was one of the best soups that I have ever tasted. Mark and I even discussed how it could taste so good with so little fat and so many vegetables. Brooks was even a fan (we've had a hard time lately getting him to eat his vegetables). He had two helpings!

I changed the recipe slightly. Instead of yellow squash I used half an acorn squash, substituted 1/2 cup of chicken broth for the water (2 cups of chicken broth, 2 1/2 of water), 2 cups of spinach and 1/2 cup parsley, and balsamic vinegar for the red wine vinegar.

We also had fresh baked bread (frozen loaves are my pick). It was the perfect January, cold-weather meal.

Happy 2011

2011-01-05T16:30:00.000-08:00

During our New Year's holiday we . . .

took a walk around the University of Georgia's campus (maybe one of my Southern readers can fill me in on why the Civil War is referred to as "the war of Northern Aggression" and "the war for Southern Independence") . . .

went to a trout hatchery down the road . . .

went shopping and had a few neighbors over for the traditional black-eyed pea New Year's meal. It was a fun weekend.

In other news,

Brooks really likes to wear hats. He has started to put on our hats without our assistance. He also has started to carry around the camera case on his shoulder. He feels pretty big when he's wearing his hat and the bag.

Its Christmas!

2010-12-29T07:17:00.001-08:00

My family joined us in Georgia this Christmas instead of making the long haul up to Illinois (we were very grateful). Along with my family, Mark's parents joined us as well. We had a houseful and Brooks had a whole group of admirers.

On Christmas Eve we went to church, had dinner, and opened presents.

Our beautiful table (thanks to my mother)

This puzzle kept some of us occupied for hours

They completed it on Christmas Eve.

Santa was good to us this year

but like last year Brooks made out the best. He got a truck . . .

some toys . . .

a funny hat . . .

and a climber.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!

Merry Christmas!

A Visit to Santa

2010-12-23T20:09:00.000-08:00

This year Brooks got to visit Santa at the "North Pole" (Bass Pro - they had free pictures and a whole Winter Wonderland).

He did awesome - no tears or screams. We were also impressed by the Santa because he had a real beard and actually resembled St. Nick. Really, all of us were in awe of the whole experience. If you notice in the background there are stuffed elk.

Grammy and Papa

There was a train track, a cookie decorating station, stuffed animals, and a race car track. Brooks was mesmerized.

Also, Brooks is walking. He has been for the last couple weeks. Even though he is very capable of walking, he still chooses to crawl as his primary form of transportation.

He loved the miniature ATV.

At the end of our Santa experience, we took Brooks to see the fish. He still isn't interested, but he loves to watch all the people who come to see the fish.

Marshmallows

2010-12-14T11:31:00.000-08:00

Lately I haven't really been in the mood for cooking. Everything makes me sick and I would rather make a run to Chik-fil-A than to sit down and plan a menu. So inspiration has been limited for a new recipe or ingredients until I was invited to a cookie exchange. When trying to decide what to make for the party, I decided to try marshmallows. I had seen recipes on this delectable treat, but I was afraid to try it because it involved a candy thermometer and hot sugar - two things that scare me. After studying a couple recipes and going over my game plan, I felt I was ready for the challenge. As it turns out, making homemade marshmallows is easier than making cookies. This is the recipe I used. I included pictures in this post of every part of the process to make it easier if you decide to attempt it. I made two flavors, cinnamon and vanilla*. They are great to snack on or put in your hot cocoa or coffee.

The gelatin and cold water awaiting the melted sugar

melted sugar almost to the 240 mark - this process took a bit longer than the recipe because I have an electric stove

the sugar and gelatin combine

The next morning they were firm enough to flip out of the pan and cut. It made around 50 marshmallows a batch.

*The cinnamon I used was called Ceylon cinnamon. It is supposed to be a sweeter, milder cinnamon. I ground it into a powder and added it along with a 1 tsp of vanilla at the end. For the vanilla, 2 vanilla beans and 1-2 tsp of vanilla.