I’m greatly looking forward to getting back in to a regular routine with our Fall schedule.  It’s going to be busy, but after a summer of laziness, I think that’s just what we need!  Preschool, soccer practice, soccer games, mom’s group, leading a small group, weekly bible study, volunteering at the preschool, lots of OB appointments.

And blogging too!

I had a HUGE update post planned (about what we’ve been up to, and what I’ve got planned for fall), but I decided to break it down into several categories over the next few days.

Today we’ll focus on…The Littlest Apple.

The Birthday

He turned FOUR last week!

We had a small family party yesterday.  Pregnancy exhaustion and the record breaking temperatures here made me rethink my original plans to have a big superhero themed bash in the backyard with lots of friends.  I’m so glad we kept it small this year, though I think this is the last year I can get away with a family-only party!

I ordered these great Superhero invitations back when I was still planning a big bash (inspired by this amazing Vintage Pop Superhero Party from AndersRuff).  I LOVE the invitations and will definitely be looking to this amazing crew for future party ideas!

My plans to make The Littlest Apple a Superhero Cake came to a screeching halt when he requested pink cake with pink frosting (aka Strawberry Layer Cake).  After much deliberation, I decided to just go forward with my decorating plans and ignore the pink, knowing it wouldn’t be my best effort.  Thankfully, the pink frosting (homemade, with strawberry preserves) wasn’t as pink as I remembered.  I used some of Wilton’s Sugar Sheets to create a superhero logo for the top of the cake.  I freehanded the design based on the invitation.  Then I used the same sugar sheets with my big star punch for the stars.  Everyone thought the stars and logo were construction paper!  I’m no cake decorator, but this turned out better than I thought it would…

This year, to keep down the number of toys, we asked both sets of grandparents to help us buy a new swingset for our backyard.  This is the one we picked:

It will be delivered sometime this week.  But The Littlest Apple still got quite a few gifts too (mostly of the superhero variety)!

Preschool

The Littlest Apple goes back to preschool on Wednesday.  He’ll go on MWF and stay in the afternoons on Monday and Wednesday for Gardening and Drama electives.  We’re both really looking forward to preschool!  Because his birthday falls on the school cutoff, he’ll be repeating the 3’s class again this year with new teachers (who I already adore!).  I was worried about this at first, but after a playdate with his new classmates, I think he’s going to fit right in.  He’s still one of the smaller kids in the class, and maturity-wise, this is where he needs to be.  He’s actually not even the oldest one in the class!

Medical

4 year old vaccinations are traumatic for everyone involved.  Glad that’s over with.

His 4 year stats: Weight-32 pounds, 6 ounces (19%!).  Height-38 1/4 inches(14%).  Height has tapered off, but weight is still gaining steadily.

Gastroparesis/GI update: The GI doctor was very pleased with our progress when we were there in July (and he’s gained even more weight since then).  We’ve cut back his night feeds (via feeding tube) by 10% in the hopes that his appetite during the day will increase, which it has.  He actually eats something for breakfast on most days now!  I know we still have a long way to go until The Littlest Apple can eat enough orally to maintain his weight without the need for his g-button, but I’m feeling encouraged by his progress.  He’ll be starting an appetite stimulant again too (which we’ve tried once w/o success, but felt like trying again).  Our next appointment isn’t until November.

Next up, a pregnancy update…including the baby’s gender!  (I’m such a tease, ha!)

Hi everyone!  I know there are lots of you wondering how my pregnancy has been going and what’s happening with The Littlest Apple (if the number of emails and comments I’ve received are any indication).  So here’s a short little update for you!

I’m currently 18 weeks pregnant, and the nausea has let up a little bit (though not completely).  I still feel exhausted though, and napping when The Littlest Apple naps and going to bed early does not make for a good blogger.  I’ve had sinus headaches more often than not this pregnancy, which hasn’t been fun at all.

We find out the gender of the baby next week, so I’ll definitely update here about that.

The Littlest Apple turns FOUR next week, and starts preschool again after Labor Day.  We’re both really excited about the start of school!  I had big plans to have a super awesome superhero party at our house for all of his friends, but I got overwhelmed and decided to just have a small family party instead.  I think this may be the last year I can get away with that!

All in all, it’s been a lazy summer for us.  I’m hoping to get back to a more regular blogging schedule in September once The Littlest Apple goes back to preschool.

Thanks for checking on me!

I’ve been craving Asian food this pregnancy, big time.  Instead of getting takeout from Pei Wei or P.F. Chang’s every time the craving arises, I’ve been trying to satisfy my cravings at home.  This is a new favorite recipe that I’ve already made several times.  (My other current favorite is Beef with Peppers.)  Yes, the recipe includes Ramen..which seems very college-y to me.  I don’t eat (or purchase) Ramen very often, but they work well in this dish.  You could easily substitute another type of noodles (rice noodles, perhaps?).  Chicken or pork would also work well in this dish.

Peanut Beef Noodle Bowl

adapted from Food.com

Ingredients:

Set aside seasoning packets from noodles to use in recipe.

In a large saucepan bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Break up noodles slightly and add to water along with cut up vegetables. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Drain and return to saucepan.

The Littlest Apple used to not have any interest in playing with playdough.  He would shred it into a million tiny pieces, but that was about it.  As a result, I stopped making themed playdough for a few months.  But now, as he nears his 4th birthday, he’s enjoying playdough a bit more, playing with it a little longer, and using his imagination as he plays.  For the last month, he’s been playing with this ice cream playdough I made.  It’s just one batch of homemade playdough, divided in three parts and colored green, orange, and brown for chocolate mint ice cream, orange sherbert, and chocolate ice cream.  I could have easily added scents to these flavors as well, but I didn’t this time.

I include a bowl of real sprinkles for The Littlest Apple to play with and sprinkle on his ice cream creations.  This is by far his favorite part!  He’s been great about not eating the sprinkles, and he’s been instructed to only use the sprinkles over a tray (they still wind up everywhere, of course!).  After each use, many of the sprinkles get mashed in to the playdough, so we now have sprinkled ice cream play dough! (My apologies for not having better photos…The Littlest Apple does NOT like having his picture taken right now, but still, these photos could have been better.)

I purchased 3 different types of ice cream cups at a dollar store a few years ago, when I made the ice cream sensory bin.  Now I’m using these ice cream cups to teach The Littlest Apple about small, medium and large.

We play ice cream shop, and The Littlest Apple is the ice cream man.  I order a medium chocolate with sprinkles, or a large with orange sherbet AND mint AND sprinkles, and The Littlest Apple creates my order.  He’s had such fun with this, and now I use play dough to keep him occupied at the kitchen counter next to me while I do the dishes.

He’s also been practicing his knife skills with the playdough.

Although the ice cream sensory bin would go well with this play dough, The Littlest Apple’s been busy with a sensory tub full of something else that’s cold.  Stay tuned for details!

Figs are still new territory for me.  My first experience with figs was using fig preserves in my Fig Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula.  Until last week, I’d never actually tried fresh figs.  Then a box of figs was included in my co-op share (Rawfully Organic, for you locals that are interested).  After trying a few of the fresh figs, I decided to recreate an appetizer I had at a restaurant that used dates, bacon, and goat cheese.  Only I used figs instead.  And oh my!  These were some heavenly little bites!  I couldn’t stop eating them!

Bacon Wrapped Figs

recipe by me

Ingredients:

• 1 pint of fresh figs (mine were small figs)
• 5 slices of bacon
• 1/2 cup of goat cheese
• 1/4 cup honey

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Slice each fig in half, remove stem, and place on a greased cookie sheet.  Top each fig half with a 1/2 teaspoon of goat cheese.  Slice bacon in half lengthwise, then cut each strip into 4 or 5 2″ strips (just make sure the strips are long enough to wrap around the width of your figs).  Wrap each fig in bacon, pressing it down slightly into the goat cheese, and wrapping the ends under the fig.  Drizzle all of the figs generously with honey.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, until bacon has reached your desired crispiness (I like mine crispy, but I probably cooked a little too long!).

Have you tasted figs?  What’s your favorite way to use them?

I’ve read many MANY parenting books over the last 4 or 5 years, but few have really resonated with me as much as Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood, by Jim and Charles Fay.

This is SUCH an amazing book!  The principles are so simple and I’ve actually looked forward to opportunities when The Littlest Apple was acting up so I could apply a little Love and Logic Magic.  I’ve jumped in wholeheartedly with this approach!  I’m trying to convince The Picky Apple to read this book too so we’re on the same page.

I wanted to share a success story with you….

The book is all about helping children to solve their own problems and encouraging their independence while lending an empathetic ear.  Here’s how I put this in to action recently:

The Littlest Apple found a pen and wrote all over the bottom of our couch. (This is not the first time this has happened.)  In the past, I probably would have yelled, or sent him to time out, or gotten angry.  Here’s how I handled it this time with a little Love and Logic Magic.

Me: “Uh oh!  That’s a pretty big mess you made on the couch.  How are you going to clean that up?”

The Littlest Apple: “With a towel?”

Me: “Hmmm.  I’m not sure a towel will work.  Towels are better for spills.  Any other ideas?”

The Littlest Apple: “Some spray (cleaner)?”

Me: “I’m not sure the spray cleaner is safe to use on the couch.  Any other ideas?”

The Littlest Apple: “Call the carpet cleaner man?”

Me: “Well, he cleans carpets, but maybe there is a man who can come clean the couch…”

The Littlest Apple: “Ok!  Let’s call him!”

Me: “How are you planning to pay him?”

The Littlest Apple: “I don’t know”

Me: “Do you have any money?”

The Littlest Apple (checks his pockets): “Um, no.”

Me: “Well that’s a problem.  Maybe you can earn some money to pay to have the couch cleaned.  Do you want me to give you some chores to do around the house so that you can earn money for this?”

The Littlest Apple: “Yeah!!”

He cleaned up his room, dusted most of the house, and he swept the kitchen the floor.  The real kicker there (and probably the hardest part for him ) was that he had to move 4 chairs and 3 barstools out of the way before he swept and replace them after he was done.  I showed him how to do each task, but I didn’t worry too much about how well the job was being done.

After he had completed his chores, I gave him some money from my wallet ($8).  Then I asked him how much he thought it might cost to clean the couch.  We agreed that it would cost about $8.  So he gave the money right back to me.  We agreed that I would try first to clean the couch and if that didn’t work, I would call the couch cleaner guy.

PS.  Rubbing alcohol works great for getting ink stains out of couches…..

I was so pleased with how this whole scenario played out, that I kept my cool, and I felt like I really got through to The Littlest Apple.

So that’s my big success story. We’ve also had some small victories in other areas too, using Love and Logic…

• cleaning up toys: “Feel free to keep all the toys you pick up.”
• brushing teeth: “I only bake cookies with kids who have brushed their teeth.”
• talking back and arguing: “I love you too much to argue with you.”
• whining and tantrums: “What a bummer!  Looks like it’s time for some quiet time in your room.”

HOWEVER, in the interest of full disclosure, I’m also going to share a Love and Logic Magic FAIL that happened recently too.  (The day after the big success, in fact!)

We have lots of battles over getting dressed in the morning, and it’s a miracle we get out the door on time to go anywhere.  Since it is a pet peeve of mine to be late, I’ve learned to allow lots of extra time in the mornings when we’ve got somewhere to be.

The Love and Logic Magic approach to these battles is to stop with the threats, yelling, arguing and repeated warnings and use some enforceable statements.  Things like “The car is leaving at 9:00.  That’s in 10 minutes.  Let me show you what 9:00 on the clock looks like…”

For children who really procrastinate about getting dressed, parents are advised to pack a bag of clothes and place it by the door.  Then when your child continues to procrastinate, you say calmly, ” Sweetie, would you like to go to school with your clothes on your body or your clothes in a bag?”  Then if your child still doesn’t get dressed in time, you grab the bag and head to the car with your child.  Supposedly it only takes one time of following through on this to turn things around.

Last week I needed to run to Target, and had a time in mind when I wanted to leave.  I told The Littlest Apple it was time to get dressed, and laid out his shorts and a choice of shirts (big Love and Logic principle—give lots of choices!).  Then I told him that the car would be leaving in 30 minutes.  20 minutes passed by.  The Littlest Apple had taken off his PJs and was playing in the playroom in his undies.  I was biting my tongue, hoping he’d get dressed, but also kind of hoping I’d have a chance to work my Love and Logic Magic (remember, I was still on a parenting high after the way I handled the writing on the couch).  With 5 minutes to go, I packed a bag of clothes, and said “Would you liked to go to Target with your clothes on your body or your clothes in a bag?”  And he said…”I want to go with my clothes in a bag!  I want to go in my undies!  I like to go in my undies!”

Wait.  WHAT?!

Um, the book didn’t tell me what to do when my kid likes to run around in public in his underwear.

Was he calling my bluff?  I don’t think so.  The kid really does like to run around without any clothes on.

What now?

Lots of thoughts raced through my head.   I had no idea what to do.  Do I take him to Target in his underwear?  Will the people at Target kick us out or give us dirty looks?  Would I be brave enough to try it?  Should I put him in the car in his undies then make him get dressed before we go inside, or would that defeat the purpose?  (If he’d had jammies on, I would have taken him as is, but I think he still would have thought it was FUNNY and COOL to go to Target in his jammies.)

Then I remembered that the book talks about logical consequences.  If The Littlest Apple loves to go to Target so much (which he does, he was excited about going), then maybe we’ll just stay home….

So when the time ran out, I said, “Uh oh.  Looks like we’re out of time to get dressed.  What a bummer.  We’re not going to Target this morning after all.”

And he said: “That’s okay.  I wanted to stay home at play.”

FAIL FAIL FAIL!

I think the next Love and Logic book I read will be When Kids Leave You Speechless….(that’s really one of their book titles.  Appropriate, don’t you think?)

How do you handle battles over getting dressed in the morning?  How would you have responded in this situation?  Are you familiar with Love and Logic?  Do you use Love and Logic principles in your parenting?

Disclosure: I was not asked to review this book or any Love and Logic products.  This was simply a Good Read I wanted to share.  This post does contain Amazon Affiliate links.

This is my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.  Ever ever ever.  I And I can’t believe I’ve never shared it with you!

Have you heard the urban legend about the Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe?  Well, as the story goes, a lady and her daughter enjoyed a chocolate chip cookie at the NM Cafe in Dallas, then asked to buy the recipe since they loved the cookie so much.  Supposedly, the lady bought the recipe for “two fifty” thinking the waitress meant $2.50, but when she received her bill, the charge was for $250.  In her outrage, she shared the story (and recipe) with as many people as possible.

This urban legend is still circulating via email today, and you can read more about it here and here.

To refute this claim, Neiman Marcus published the infamous cookie recipe for free.  It is available online (and also included in their cookbook).  And although the story isn’t actually true (or IS it?), these cookies are truly delicious.

I think the key to their deliciousness is the instant espresso powder.  And before you coffee haters reject this one, you can’t even taste the coffee.  It simply enhances the chocolate flavor.  I promise!  My husband had his doubts too, but he loves these cookies as much as I do.  As with any recipe featuring chocolate, I think it’s super important to use good quality chocolate.  My go to chips are Guittard Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips.  Love them!  You can see them pictured below with my instant espresso powder of choice and my much-loved, well-worn recipe.

Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies

recipe from Neiman Marcus

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Cream the butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy (approximately 30 seconds).

Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract for another 30 seconds.

In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture at low speed for about 15 seconds.  Stir in the espresso coffee powder and chocolate chips.

Using a 1 ounce scoop or a 2 tablespoon measure, drop cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart.  Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into a 2 inch circle.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned around the edges.  Bake a little longer for a crispier cookie.

The Littlest Apple and I have re-visted the Fizzy Fun science experiment many, many times lately.  He never gets tired of it, but I was ready to introduce some other quick and easy experiments.  I’ve seen this cool milk magic experiment in many variations, but most recently on The Artful Parent and Our Best Bites.

Here’s what you will need:

• whole milk
• liquid watercolors or liquid food coloring
• dish soap

Pour enough milk in a shallow dish to cover the bottom (we used a 9×13 Pyrex dish).  Using a dropper, add drops of liquid watercolors or food coloring to the milk.  This step is lots of fun and the colors look so pretty against the white milk, but the real fun is yet to come!

See how pretty this looks?  I love the vivid colors here!

Now carefully add one or two drops of dish soap to some of the larger areas of color, and watch as the colors swirl, mix and move!  This was truly mesmerizing to watch, and we repeated this experiment from scratch three times.  Very cool!

It’s been a while since I shared my weekly menu plan.  Actually, it’s been a while since I made a weekly menu plan.  The last two weeks have included lots of dining out, eating sandwiches, leftovers and other odds and ends.  But tonight I got back into the swing of things with a home-cooked meal.  Right now I’m craving lots of hearty meaty foods, so our menu reflects that.

(Breakfast options this week include oatmeal, greek yogurt, biscuits, fresh fruit, fruit smoothies.  Lunch options this week include leftovers (there should be lots this week), turkey sandwiches, or salad.)

Sunday: Cajun Chicken Pasta, Spinach and Strawberry Salad, Garlic Breadsticks

Monday: All American Beef Chili, Cornbread

Tuesday: Quiche Lorraine, Fruit Salad

Wednesday: Chinese Chicken Salad (new recipe)

Thursday: Tangy Spiced Brisket, Twice Baked Potatoes, Green Beans

Friday: Chopped Beef Sandwiches (using leftover Brisket), Baked Beans

Saturday: Pumpkin Waffles, Eggs, Bacon

Sunday: One Pot Pasta (new recipe), Spinach and Pear Salad with Rosemary Vinaigrette, Garlic Bread

Happy Weekend, everyone!  Just as my early pregnancy tiredness was starting to wear off (I’m 11 weeks now, yay!), I got hit with a cold/cough/fever/sinus junk that seems to be going around.  Normally, I’d just take the usual cold and cough medicine and clear it right up, but due to the pregnancy I’ve had to just tough it out.  I’ve had countless cups of hot honey lemon water and been fortunate to have lots of grandparent help this week with The Littlest Apple so I could rest.  That’s left me behind once again on all things blogging, but here are a few posts from around the blogosphere that caught my eye this week:

Mini Discovery Boxes for Open Ended Play @ The Imagination Tree

Fun Pre-Writing Activities Without Worksheets @ No Time For Flashcards

Gooey Cookies and Cream Double Chocolate Cake Bars @ Picky Palate

Boxes, Bins, Baskets and More Storage @ Delightful Order

Lemon Blueberry Buckle @ The Novice Chef

Sun Dried Tomato and Artichoke Slow Cooker Dip @ A Year of Slow Cooking

Paint Skiing @ Teacher Tom