My New Way to Cook

Our dinners this week have been one-pot-dishes, or maybe two. I'm finding that cooking the kind of meals we gravitate toward is not easy with a toddler hanging from my pant legs or even riding in the sling. So we've been searching for and returning to meals that I can prep while Anna is napping and then throw together in one pot closer to the dinner hour. We've also been trying to make meals that will provide leftovers, as I'm always searching for tasty, healthy lunch options for Anna and me.

This week we made Roast Chicken with Lemon and Herbs, after which I made the following pasta salad for lunch using the chicken leftovers. I also used Lundberg Organic Brown Rice Pasta, a gluten-free pasta option. This is the only brand of rice pasta I've found that I like. I used greek yogurt with just a hint of mayonnaise, which provided added calcium and flavor. I shredded zucchini for a veggie, which is easy for Anna to chew. She still only has one tooth and three slivers, so crunchy chunks don't work for her. I topped it with some diced tomato, and for me I added some celery and salt and pepper to taste. It wasn't fancy, but it was great for the kid!

Tuesday night I made Rombi pasta with a cauliflower, butternut squash, and tomato sauce. This dish was inspired by Lidia on PBS. The recipe is not on her website, unfortunately. We love this for the huge quantity of vegetables. It does need a little protein on the side though. And, whole wheat pasta would be a healthier option, but we just love the Rombi.

1/2 package Rombi pasta

LOTS of olive oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp red chili flakes

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 head of cauliflower, florets cut from stem

1 32 ounce can of whole, peeled tomatoes, crushed, juice reserved

Salt and pepper to taste

Grated parmesan cheese for serving

Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat. Cover the bottom of the pan with olive oil, about 1/4 inch deep. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and sauce to the pan and heat to simmering. Add the chili flakes, squash, cauliflower, and salt and pepper to taste. Return to a simmer, cover, and cook for approximately 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. While veggies are cooking, boil pasta according to package directions. Combine pasta and sauce. Top with parmesan cheese.

We also made this Beef Stew. It doesn't look pretty, but it tasted delicious. I even forgot to add the crushed tomatoes (the downside to prepping well before cooking...I left them in the refrigerator). We didn't miss them. The beef was actually tender enough for Anna to gum when cut into tiny pieces.

If anyone has any great one-pot meals that are toddler-friendly and relatively healthy, we're always looking for more to add to our recipe box!

The Not-So-Itsy-Bitsy Spider

I'm still in shock after this eight-legged monster joined Anna and me for breakfast this morning. I saw him out of the corner of my eye, and although I maintained my outward composure, my insides were going crazy! Have you ever seen a spider so big in Michigan?! Even Australia rarely brought one like this into my home.

I took multiple pictures. I couldn't believe my eyes!

This spider was fortunate. He was way to big to squash on my floor (gross)! I captured him in a glass bowl, placed the pot on top just in case he was really strong (OK, so it's a little crazy to think he could get out, but I wasn't taking any chances), and stared him down while we ate. After it was clear he could not escape, I took Anna upstairs for her nap. My girlfriend, Kara, was coming over later, and she graciously offered to help me release the spider way back in the farthest corner of our yard. I hope he doesn't find his way back home. He might not be so lucky next time, even if he does spin beautiful webs and rids us of the other bugs in our home.

Thank you so much, Kara, for doing the dirty work!

Autumn Moments

Blake took Anna for a ride at Caleb Jones' birthday party.

The minutes of daylight seem to be shrinking at a remarkable pace this year. Maybe I notice more because we have routines and rituals in our lives now that capture the details of a moment in my mind. I've been particularly aware of the increasing darkness when nursing Anna before bedtime each evening. Yesterday we wound down with light creeping in through the crack between the shade and the window sill, while tonight we needed light from the fixture in the adjacent bathroom.

Anna had to try on Grandma J's sunglasses.

Maybe the changing seasons and shorter days are to blame for my increasing feeling of busyness, both in our lives and in my head. There are still 24 hours in every day, so why doesn't it feel that way? Even the days when Anna and I have no plans, the hours fill up and it's time for bed before I get the chance to blog or buy the gift I've been meaning to or write thank you notes or get to the store or pay bills. It's 11:38 pm now, and I'm exhausted; but, it's been my only time today to write and do the computer tasks that can't get done when Anna is poking at the keyboard next to me.

Anna loved the tissue paper Grandma Deb brought. Mama loved the cute clothes!

Autumn is my favorite time of year, and I'm trying to be present for every moment of it. In the last week we've attended birthday parties, Grandmas have visited, Blake and I bar hopped, we bought baby pumpkins at the cider mill, and the list goes on. Of course, our fun is scattered between lots of cooking, lots of kitchen cleaning, grocery shopping, laundry, and other daily activities of living. Coming up we have dinner at Blake's co-worker's, a dear friend's wedding reception, a 30th birthday celebration for Blake, a reunion with my college girlfriends, and a long overdue visit with old friends.

Just a typical day at home. Not sure how she got herself into this position, but she was happy to stay there while I did dishes this afternoon.

I tend to get overwhelmed when we have so much of our time accounted for like this. I like some down time. I like to see how we feel sometimes before making a plan for our Sunday afternoon. However, as I reflect on our last week and our plans for the coming month, I do feel grateful that we have so many friends to share the autumn moments with. I'm really looking forward to this month, even if it stretches me a bit outside of my comfort zone.

Happy Birthday!

Happy 30th Birthday, Blake! In your three decades you have made the world a better place. I am so proud of you, not just for things you've accomplished, but even more for being, knowing and honoring who you are.

He was a darn cute kid. You can see where Anna gets her curls and her cheeks!

I hope your 30's are full of moments like these.

I guess I have to admit that it is my birthday today, too. Thirty-three doesn't seem possible, and although part of me wants to pretend I'm still 30 myself, I think being another year older will actually make this year even better than the last. I've lived more, learned more, and hopefully, I have a bit more wisdom to share with our growing daughter.

Speaking of Books...

We have a lot of them. Some are stashed in or on our bedside tables, because we intend to read each and every one at this very moment. HA! We crave information and learning, and we also crave sleep. When I snuggle into bed at night and open a book now, even the best book, I fall asleep after a page or two. Ugh. It takes a long time to get through a book when you read it one-page-at-a-time. It takes a long time when you're reading multiple books, which I've been doing more and more. I have to admit that I tormented Blake in the past about his tendency to NEVER finish a book or to read multiple books at once. Not anymore.

So, what am I reading now? The novel I'm tackling at the moment is Barbara Kingsolver's "The Poisonwood Bible" with a lighter "Goodnight Nobody" by Jennifer Weiner waiting in the sidelines. The former has been in my library for years, and I really don't know why it's gone unread. I've devoured so many of Kingsolver's other novels and loved them all. The non-fiction titles I'm reading in bits and pieces most recently are "Touchpoints" by T. Berry Brazelton and "Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense" by Ellen Satyr, but as noted in my last post, I'm putting these down for the time being.

Blake has been reading "A Field Guide to Buying Organic", which he's found to be moderately informative. In his words, "it's not the best book in the world, but it has provided some insight." The other one we're both peeking at periodically is "Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder."

A lot of books and a little time. Any suggestions on how to finish a book one-page-at-a-time?

Beliefs

"Beliefs, even the noblest of them, are just opinions you have developed loyalty to." --Rick Carson, author of Taming Your Gremlin

I've been revisiting this quote a lot lately, mostly because I'm agonizing over parenting questions that I intellectually know have no right or wrong answers, yet I still somehow behave like the world is black and white. It's hard not to feel that way when every author of every book or website you read tries to convince you that his/her way is the right way to create a self-confident, healthy, kind, joyful child and family (as if we are actually in total control of this process!). Of course, the philosophies of one "expert" oppose those of another "expert", with both saying the other's approach will surely jeopardize any chance of nurturing a ____ (fill-in-the-blank with some positive quality) child.

Once again, I resolve to ditch the books and advice for a while and get back in touch with my own beliefs, my own instincts, my own intuition. I know, when I'm in this space of questioning, that I've lost touch with that part of me that Knows. It's hard to do, though, with too much information floating around in my head. A certain level of ignorance may be bliss in this case. And, it's hard to do when the experts on both sides have me, if only momentarily, convinced that their way is the right way, so there is no way to make a perfect decision that the perfectionist in me so wants to make.

So, I'm remembering the quote that my life/business coach gave me so long ago. I'm remembering that the doctors, the authors, the other moms, and I all have opinions that we are loyal to, some of these opinions may even have research behind them, but even research is open to interpretation. I'm remembering that beliefs are neither true nor false and that we can change our beliefs, or opinions, when they limit us. I'm remembering what really matters; Blake and I doing what we believe is best for Anna, for our family, and for the world and people around us.

A Perfect Afternoon

Today I bought a movie ticket, a medium popcorn, and a bottle of water at 2:25pm on a beautiful autumn day. I excitedly watched the previews and dug into my overly salty, crunchy snack by myself. I lost myself in "The Informant!", completely oblivious to my aloneness AND utterly aware of it.

In the past, even if I made the choice to see a movie on the big screen by myself, I couldn't help but feel a little lonely in that big theater. Not today. I, of course, wondered how Blake and Anna were doing at a few points during the film, but mostly I thought about how wonderful it was to NOT hear Anna making the most annoying sound in the world.

Anna is quickly becoming a toddler in so many ways. She is increasingly demanding and vocal about what she wants. The give-me-that-grunt that I mentioned in a previous post is now turning into a high pitched whine that can only be described as the most patience-trying, ear-piercing, nerve-grating noise ever. EVER.

Yesterday we were stuck in traffic on our way to a birthday party. The 40-mile-drive took us 90 minutes. Anna was hungry. She was tired. She's teething. Blake and I were arguing about alternate routes. I was fretting about being late. We were hungry too. She whined almost constantly. I wish I'd had a way to record it. If you've seen "Dumb and Dumber", you may remember Jim Carey's character making a similar sound as he and his pal drive their dog-mobile across the country.

I'm embarrassed to admit that I exclaimed at my breaking point, "I'd like to throw myself out of the car." And, maybe I muttered a few other things under my breath. I don't think I've felt quite like that since she cried all the time as an infant. Today, the whining continued at various times throughout the day. Hence, the perfection of an afternoon alone at the movie theater.

More Firsts

Alicia and Aidan came over this afternoon for an impromptu, late afternoon visit. The sky was cloudless, the air was cool, and the sun was warm. The kids were, for the first time, actually interacting with one another. I snapped so many photos, fearful that I wouldn't get a decent shot, and for the first time, I had too many to choose from.

These kids looked so grown up today.

They spotted an airplane in the sky!

The game of peek-a-boo begins.

Anna climbed on top of the pool for the first time today.

Becoming Anna

Anna actually climbed into the cart for the first time today, and she climbed back out. You can see how proud she was!

Our daughter amazes me everyday. More and more, she is inhabiting her body and becoming a little girl with opinions to share, things to do, and thoughts to speak; she is becoming more of who she is. It's awe-inspiring to be a witness to, and participant in, this process. I literally see the moment when, for the first time, she attempts and succeeds at a task. I see her eyes smile with pride when she realizes she can do it! Where did it come from? Was she practicing in her sleep? Maybe. Or maybe the growing up process really is miraculous.

Yesterday Anna sat on the floor of our closet and reached for the jewelry hanging on the wall, all the while making her characteristic give-me-THAT grunting noise. I suddenly remembered the pink beaded bracelets I stashed in a plastic food container when I cleaned out my closet last year. I saved the old costume jewelry for the day when she may want to play dress up. You would think I'd just given her a puppy when I handed her those bracelets. She pulled them out of the container, as she does with everything ALL THE TIME. She takes things out, takes them off, dumps them out, but until yesterday she NEVER put things in or on or back together. Out of nowhere, she put each bracelet in the container. And, with each one she looked at me, almost shocked and, of course, as proud as can be. I was proud, too, but even more, I was happy that she had the opportunity to feel that sense of accomplishment.

Our cautious Anna is also on the verge of walking independently. She's been holding our hands and walking for months, and she's been content to keep it that way. Last weekend she began willingly letting go of one of our hands. She also tried taking more steps between Blake and me and let go while standing to hold onto a toy. While she seems a bit ambivalent about it all, she also has a spark of determination and bravery that outshines the fear. On Sunday, she put two hands on something she pulled out of the dryer, almost accidentally, and when she realized she was standing on her own, I saw the same shocked, proud look that shone on her face when she discovered the bracelet-in-the-container trick. And, of course, she did it again and again that day.

Anna is speaking new words, or at least attempting them, daily. Just in the last few days it seems she is trying to communicate with us more and more. Of the handful of words that we actually understand, the most curious is olive oil. She hears hundreds of words in a day, and she picked up on this one. She says it over and over again, every time she sees the clay bottle on our kitchen counter. Her tongue stretches out of her mouth, her lips form an "O", and out comes "Woil-a-Woil". Oatmeal is another one she has mastered. She also says hi, daddy, mama, baby, and a few other words we're not privileged to understand. With 1/3 of Anna's words being food-related, she may already be a foodie!

I know everyone says that the time goes by too quickly, that babies turn into teenagers in the blink of an eye. People say it because it's true. I can't slow time down, but I can be present for these moments, these little miracles, and I can appreciate each and every second of this little soul's journey to becoming Anna.

By the way, Anna is also cutting her fourth tooth, right now, while she sleeps in her bed upstairs. It's moving up through her gums, and tomorrow, it will be that much closer to the surface. It seems like these new skills are kinda like teeth; one day they are invisible and just under the surface, and the next day they are right in front of our eyes.

Our Family Prayer

This is our prayer of gratitude and intention that we say with Anna every evening before bed.

We are thankful...

The world around us is hard at work.

The trees grow strong,

Their leaves breathe fresh air.

The flowers bloom bright,

Their fruit gives us nourishment.

The people of our world produce for all of us to survive.

We are hopeful that the seven continents will unite in peace.

We are grateful for our place in this world,

And we will strive to make it a better place.

K-I-S-S-I-N-G

Our friends Amy, Dennis, and Wyatt came over for lunch and a "play date" this afternoon. We met Amy and Dennis at Lamaze class in, what seems like, another lifetime now. Although we spoke just briefly at the time, Amy and I connected after the babies were born via e-mail through our instructor; we were both anxious to meet other new moms in the area. We soon discovered we had a lot in common, and it turns out Anna and Wyatt also had something in common...they were born on the same day.

The kids have changed so much since our first get together!

I snapped a number of pictures today, but only a few where both kids' faces are visible. The wagon ride was our attempt to contain them both in a space small enough to capture a photo. Wyatt didn't seem to mind the close quarters. He stole a kiss while Anna played hard to get!

Thanks Amy, Dennis, and Wyatt for sharing the afternoon with us.

A Visit from Papa and Grandma

Papa and Grandma Mox arrived yesterday afternoon for a quick visit. We played outside while Blake grilled, dined on Kale and White Bean Soup for dinner, shared good conversation, and of course, drank a few cocktails after Anna slept. Thanks, Dad and Jessica, for bringing one of my favorite bottles of Chardonnay and for our new book, What to Drink with What You Eat, that will guarantee any visitors to get the right bottle of wine with their meal!! We're so excited to read it and experiment.

Blake and my dad golfed this morning while Anna played with Grandma between nap-taking attempts (neither of which were successful). We met the guys at the course for lunch and then headed home. The visit was too short...we'll just have to plan the next one soon!

Looks like Anna's eyes are set on Papa's beer.

Anna and Grandma peeking out the window at the doggies.

Barley Salad Pseudo-Recipe

I'm calling it a pseudo-recipe, because I don't use a recipe. It's one of those things that's different every time I make it.

It would look more appealing with a sparkling glass of wine, but wine was nowhere to be found last night.

Two years ago Blake and I shared a version of this salad with an Italian wine that, I'm sure, was delicious, even if I can't remember the name of it now. We lazed at a table in the small Umbrian town, gazing at the scenery and our food, wonderfully oblivious to the world beyond this little place.

Anyway, the ingredients and approximate measurements I used this time follow. This made a batch that easily fed me and Anna dinner and lunch the next day. I always estimate the proportions based on how it looks though; I decide when to stop adding veggies by the distribution of color in the salad...very scientific!

3 cups cooked pearled barley

1 medium zucchini, grated (this is the first time I tried this...much easier for Anna to chew than chunks of raw zucchini. Remember she only has one full tooth!)

1 pint of cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup Pecorino cheese, cut into bite size cubes

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 Tbsp good olive oil, plus additional for drizzling

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, chill, and serve.

*Usually we make this without the beans and with green onions and sliced black olives. Sometimes we substitute zucchini for cucumber.

That Kind of Day

It seems like many of our days begin and end in an instant. Some days feel a lot longer. I'm still trying to decide which kind of day we had today.

6am - Woke up. We all played together a bit, changed Anna's diaper and dressed.

7:20am - Ate breakfast. Somehow the morning got away from us, and we got started late.

8:30am - Read stories pre-nap. Getting to sleep took a while today. We suspect her fourth tooth will erupt soon. Soon may actually be weeks; it took her last tooth 2-3 weeks to fully break the surface.

9am - Anna napped. I made a hair appointment, put barley on the stove for our dinner this evening, pulled together something for our lunch knowing Anna and I would be very hungry by the time we get back home from errands, showered, and then Anna woke up, much earlier than expected. It turned out to be a good thing; we needed the extra time for our outing.

9:45am - Tried to get out of the house. Changed her diaper, had snacks, packed the diaper bag, filled water bottles.

10:50am - Pulled into County Farm Park to play in the water tables, climb on the rocks, plow through the sand, and explore the community garden. Anna proceeded to eat as much sand from the bottom of the water table as she could scoop up in her fist.

11:30am - Left the park and headed to the grocery store. This always seems to take longer than I expect it will, usually because I circle back through each aisle twice after realizing I have forgotten something (this did not happen before I lost my mind to hormones and baby.) Although Anna is super patient and well-behaved at stores, she is increasingly adventurous and curious with her hands, which adds time as well. This weekend we took Anna to the mall where she insisted on touching every single headless mannequin in every single store we browsed. Must be confusing for a little tike to see all these headless people standing around, sometimes only half dressed.

12:30am - Pulled into the driveway, put the perishables away, changed another diaper, prepared lunch and scarfed it down with a tired kid squirming out of her high chair.

1:15am - Changed another diaper, read more stories and wound down for nap time.

1:40am - Anna napped. I returned to the kitchen, took one look at the mess, and knew I would need to muster some energy for the evening. I went upstairs to meditate for 20 minutes, fell asleep, and woke feeling more tired and a bit guilty for avoiding, again, the health insurance company call I need to make, again, that has historically taken ALL of Anna's nap time.

2:30am - I finished my lunch, read a few blogs, started cleaning the kitchen, and decided a run is in order after she wakes.

3:20am - Anna woke. We filled water bottles, applied sunscreen and headed out with the jogging stroller around 3:50.

4:30am - Walked up the driveway just as rain clouds rolled in. Thank you! Anna and I played on the floor, listened to music and danced.

5:00am - Popped Anna in the Ergo to finish prepping our barley salad for dinner. I think I'll post the pseudo-recipe tomorrow. Another clue the tooth is coming: she doesn't leave me alone for more than a minute. If she's not in the sling when I'm cooking, she is holding my legs and asking to see what's happening on the counter. Cooking with her is actually very sweet, even if it's a little tough to manage at times. She even scooped up the cheese, and with guidance (meaning me guiding her hand to the bowl and away from her mouth), dropped it into the bowl. She gives the best gracious snuggles if I give her a little bite of whatever I am chopping.

5:45am - Ate dinner. Anna and I both were fading fast.

6:15am - Made the slow climb up the stairs for bath time. Bathed together for a change. Since Daddy was gone for the evening and I needed a shower, it seemed like a fun idea.

6:45am - Went through the usual evening routine, without Daddy, which always seems a little confusing to Anna. She obviously missed him!

8:20am - Anna finally fell asleep. I finished cleaning the kitchen, cleaned up the bathroom, and loaded the washing machine with diapers.

9:00am - Sank into the couch with computer and beer, hoping Anna sleeps well tonight.

The day feels short and long, invigorating and exhausting, peaceful and frustrating. I guess it was that kind of day.

After and Before Part 2

Although it may seem obvious that telling someone we are going to do something greatly increases the likelihood that we will do it, we don't always build in that accountability when we set goals for ourselves. I'm glad I did. I cleaned the dining room table off shortly after my last post. I'm leaving the sewing and scrapbooking paraphernalia on the table for now, though. I won't ever sew or scrapbook if I put them away in the upstairs closet. And, the kitchen, well, it's been clean a number of times since the photo was taken, but it gets messed up three times per day or more (see photos below), and I keep missing my clean kitchen photo opportunity.

My little helper pulling out recipes for me in the kitchen.

I love the her curls in this photo.

After and Before

I'm a bit embarrassed, and maybe I'm a bit crazy for posting these photos. It's just what happens when kids come into your life...the mess, that is. I think? I hope. I hope I'm not the only one who has a clean house one minute and the next it looks like this.

This is the After...the AFTER kids. I'll post the Before, or what our house used to look like, soon. Because, I'm determined to clear the dining room table of the baby proofing supplies, the soon-to-be-given gifts, the scrapbooking supplies, and the knitting and sewing piles. Because I'm determined to file the piles of mail and papers that have recently accumulated in our kitchen as I try to sort through our medical insurance company's mistakes. Don't panic; I haven't lost my mind. The dishes in the kitchen get cleaned numerous times per day. This picture was taken after Blake cooked up some lunch and after NOT cleaning up breakfast due to a full morning of yard work.

If you're reading this, you probably know me well enough to know that I LOVE having a clean house. I'm generally Type A, well-organized, and I could be classified by some as obsessively clean. I've come a long way since marrying Blake and having a baby; my tolerance for mess is much higher. It has to be! But, this morning I was agitated, irritated, and uncomfortable. And, I realized that the clutter is cluttering my mind. So, although the kitchen will probably look like this after lunch every Saturday afternoon, the dining room table will be user-friendly soon, and you'll see what it looked like Before.

Happy Anniversary

I, Kellie, ask you, Blake, to be no other than yourself.

Loving what I know of you,

trusting what I don't yet know,

through all our years,

and in all that life may bring us,

I vow to be your loving wife.

I offer you my pure and true love,

my unwavering support,

my trust,

and my respect throughout all our lives.

I promise in the midst of our families and friends

to stand beside you and love you always.

Four years ago today, Blake and I exchanged these wedding vows. It goes without saying that so much in our lives has changed since we spoke these words. It seems everything has been magnified, such that our challenges are greater AND our joys are exponentially greater.

Four years ago our big challenges involved negotiating who does what around the house, how it's done and when. Wait...that hasn't changed!! Seriously, though, our big challenges do seem bigger now. Now we are responsible for another human being. Now we make decisions that impact our daughter's health and well-being. Now we set examples for our child. Our relationship has been challenged the most, and also strengthened the most, by the creation of our family in the last year.

Four years ago our great joys involved dreaming of our future together, sharing food and wine with friends and family, traveling, and forging new traditions. We still find joy in these things, even if they look a bit different these days. Now, a simple giggle, a little dance, a snuggle, or an exclamation of "Daddy!" from Anna bring joy beyond any that we could previously imagine.

As I revisit our vows I notice, at once, where we can work on things (respecting our differences) and where we are doing a darn good job (our honesty with and support for one another). I'm excited about the coming year and all the opportunities that we will have to continue fulfilling our vows, as difficult as it is sometimes!

I searched our digital photos for a good shot of Blake and me exchanging our vows, and I can't find one! If you have one, please send it our way. Instead, I found this photo that, I believe, captures the spirit of our wedding day. I love you, Blake!

Change is Gonna Come

Anna at 3 months, courtesy of Emmy Gallery

Almost one year ago Emmy came to our house to photograph Anna. I can't even remember how I stumbled upon Emmy Gallery now, but I am so happy I did. I love the way she captured our family with her camera. We decided to have pics taken again for Anna's first birthday, and I just picked them up yesterday. I'm wishing we had more wall space to hang them. 

I can't believe how much she has changed in the last year. Was she really that bald? When you see someone everyday, you don't notice the gradual transformation. It makes me wonder just how different she'll be one year from now. 

Anna at 1 year, courtesy of Emmy Gallery

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Lesson Learned

Yesterday Anna peed on the carpet in our family room. I laughed out loud. It was, believe it or not, so funny.

If you've ever changed the diaper of a toddler, you know how difficult it is to get them to hold still for the 20 seconds it takes to do it. After the wet diaper came off, Anna squirmed, turned, and quickly pulled herself up on the ottoman. I often give her a couple of minutes of air time, especially if I haven't stuffed the clean diaper yet (we use bumGenius™ cloth diapers). Up until now, I've gotten lucky.

Seconds after she stood up, I heard the strangest sound...it took me a moment to realize what was happening. The funny thing is that she peed just a little, looked surprised when something wet splattered her foot, scooted over just a little bit, and peed a little more. I wish I could've captured it on film.

I did capture the evidence and a cute picture of her after I hastily diapered her bare bottom.

Finale

The grand finale of our three-day weekend included an anniversary celebration dinner at Eve, one of our favorite Ann Arbor restaurants.

Friday, September 4^th is our fourth anniversary. We decided to celebrate early, because my mom was staying with us after helping my sister, Kaitlyn, move into her dorm at U of M. It baffles me that four years have passed since our wedding day (and I’m even more baffled that my youngest sister is a freshman in college)!

When Blake made our dinner reservation he requested the best table in the house, one we’ve admired from afar on numerous visits. We were delighted to learn that it was ours for the night. It’s a secluded corner booth in the back of the restaurant, enveloped by warm bricks and glowing in candlelight. Perfect for the occasion!

While we explored the menu, Blake indulged in a White-Grape Martini, and I sipped the Ginger-Lime variety. We started with the Squash Blossom Tempura and Green Salad and ended with the Triple Chocolate Pots de Crème. In the middle we enjoyed phenomenal fish and wine. More importantly, we enjoyed uninterrupted conversation about Anna and about things other than Anna. We also reminisced, dreamt about the future, and appreciated the present.

Anna decided to give us a little anniversary gift that evening…she slept through the night! Although this might happen a couple of times per week now, it was a special treat for our special night.