15 May
Ava: It sure was nice of Grandma Smith to get out these toys for us.
Leo: There must be 250 of them in this box!
Ava: I know. Let’s get to work. If we’re going to put each one into our mouths, we’d better get started now. I’ll go first, then hand them off to you.
Leo: Perfect! I will toss each one on the floor when I’m done. All told, these should cover at least 50 square feet if we spread them out.
Ava: Fifty, maybe 75.
Leo: Awesome.
13 May
This is how I made Olivia’s sweet potatoes while we were traveling this weekend. I guess I really don’t need that fancy baby food maker after all.
Damn.
13 May
We took a short trip to Nebraska this weekend to visit our families. Check out Ava helping Grandpa Smith feed the fish in his pond:
11 May
Happy Mothers’ Day to the wonderful moms in my life!
Thank you to..
My own mom, for saying exactly the right thing at exactly the right time for the last 30 years, even if it is occasionally preceded by “I told you…” Her energy, support and encouragement—especially since I became a mother myself—are invaluable. If my daughters grow to value my opinion and respect half as much as Katie and I value hers, I’ll be very fortunate.
My mother-in-law, the best I could have asked for, for her love, humor and advice
My grandma, who—tireless in her efforts to care for us—constantly reminds me, either by words or by actions, there’s nothing more important than family.
My sister-in-law Debbie, for providing two of the most adorable nephews in the world.
My step-mother Rose, not only for keeping Dad in check, but also for welcoming us into her family.
My friends Melissa, Lori and Alisa, who have endured—and even answered—countless questions over the past four years, for helping shape me into the mom I am today.
My friends Lanis and Dawn, for laughing at stories about my kids, and for letting me share them in the first place.
Enjoy your day!
7 May
Since starting cereal a few weeks ago, Olivia has tried avocados, sweet potatoes and now, green beans. She was pretty skeptical after the first bite, but warmed to them quickly.
As I did with Ava, I’m making Olivia’s baby food. The first time around, I reasoned that it was easy to do, not to mention less expensive than jarred foods. Now, I’m not so sure about either of those things, but I’m committing to it anyway. For now.
It is a relatively simple process. Steam:
Process:
Freeze:
Eventually, we’ll just run whatever we’re eating through the food mill for Olivia. For now, though, we’re introducing new foods one at a time about a week apart, so it’s nice to have a few frozen options on hand.
7 May
My trainer has really been pushing me to run lately. I am opposed to this because, as I told him, no one is actively chasing me, and I do not like the way my butt shakes at speeds faster than a brisk walk. He responded, “Do you know what will help with that? RUNNING.”
He suggested focusing on–and I am not kidding here–the beauty of the nature around me, rather than the act of running itself. Seriously? Has this man ever tried to run? It’s hard.
I am giving him the benefit of the doubt. Here are a few shots from my run this morning.
It’s 6 a.m. The light is actually quite pretty. The lawn has never looked better. (Thanks, Bry.)
I can smell these lilacs from a block away.
This view is also quite pretty, but really it just reminded me that sun wasn’t actually up yet.
I found a snowball tree along the path–there’s one of these behind my grandpa’s house. I remember being totally awestruck by it as a child.
So, okay, maybe he has a point. This has been rather–and I can’t believe I’m going to say this–enjoyable.
Maybe it was that I focused on my surroundings, rather than the obvious and somewhat blinding pain of my screaming lungs. Probably, though, it more manageable because I stopped every five minutes to take a photo. Yeah, that definitely helped.
Know what else made it enjoyable? My running parter.
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