Climber Chick

Check out those thighs.

New Shoe Day

Bleu's pick: Primigi Kids' Alissia in Platinum.

Buby's pick: Ecco Kids' Street Invader Gladiator in Warm Grey.

Saturday was new shoe day. Bleu didn't have any, and Buby had outgrown his over the winter. As you know we bid farewell to our favorite shoe fitter last fall. She lost her lease and has yet to reopen the boutique. We needed another local source for Ecco, Naturino and Primigi. Luckily another mom at Buby's school recommended a place about an hour away. That's what happens when you go from city to country... you are willing to cross state lines for Italian shoes. We would buy on Zappos or Endless {free overnight shipping and returns}, but both kids were due for a measure.


Buby's always been a shoe guy. Ever since I can remember he's loved trying on shoes. The Scandinavian brand Ecco has been good to him for the last two and a half years {and Buby's as flat footed as they come}, so we're sort of married to Ecco for him. He picked out five and wanted to take them all home. Bleu... not so much. She cried when the salesman looked at her. I was hoping to find her a high-back with laces, but most of the spring/summer designs are takes on the classic mary jane. The Alissia walker fit the best and proved the most difficult for Bleu to take off. Sold!


Bleu's growing so fast she'll need to be remeasured every 2-3 months. Buby is down to twice a year now. At 11 months Bleu is 5.5 US or 21 EU. At 3.5 years Buby is 13 US or 30 EU.

Free Flying

Friday I picked up Buby from school at 11:55 and told him we were going to see his friend Gilly in the mountains. Magic words: Gilly and Mountains. She is one of his original leading ladies. He talks about her constantly since she moved away. Buby was overflowing with joy. It was oozing out left and right as he hopped from classroom to car. Suddenly he was a man on a mission, and I was just along for the ride.


I kept Bleu up from her usual morning nap so she'd snooze on route. She was fed and changed and ready to roll. It was sunny and beautiful. We rolled the windows down, popped in our favorite mix CD and let our TomTom guide the way. The trip should have been an hour and 10 minutes. No biggie. I've driven to their house before. But leaving from Buby's school added another 20. A horrendous highway accident added another 35. Getting turned around on an alternate route another 5-10. But alas we made it, and it was actually a really fantastic trip and gave me time to catch up on Buby's who-did-what at school.


My friend Alana and I talked as we watched our 4 wee ones play. They are really growing up. After a belly-pleasing bite we headed to a nearby park. Buby was so happy to fly the purple kite he made that morning at school. Watching the kids run for wind reminded me of Tom Petty's "Free Falling" for some reason. It was an awesome afternoon. Merci to Alana for introducing me to avocado and Swiss sandwiches. I'm hooked.

Slide Race

All was well with the world until Buby blocked Gilly with his leg in favor of racing Bleu + I.

Sand Spell

Buby + friend Gilly trying to spell their names with sticks in the sand. What a couple of preschoolers!

Happy

Bleu, you are the happiest little girl I've ever met.

Ode to Thursday

Thursday has nowhere to be. Thursday whips up warm waffles + blueberry smoothies. Thursday plays all day. Thursday promises showers and baths. Thursday embraces little people holding big books. Thursday hears giggles of every sort. Thursday hides under blankets. Thursday runs circles around orange cones. Thursday dances free. Thursday slides down slides and swings on swings. Thursday says hi to librarians. Thursday brings groceries and clean laundry, but only if there's time. Thursday tells real-life stories to a captive audience. Thursday gives sweet kisses. Thursday solves puzzles. Thursday crafts. Thursday checks in with family. Thursday cooks. Thursday looks forward to the weekend. Thursday makes me want at least two more babes. Thursday, lucky for husband, only comes once a week.

Bleu Loves Books

~ Things I Love ~ Thursday

Organic. I buy it whenever possible. Some things I've been buying organic for years, such as milk and baby food, while condiments are relatively new to our cart. When organic isn't an option, I look for food with no preservatives, artificial flavoring or sweeteners. I know the term "certified organic" is a hot-button topic in some circles, but I've always felt it's the least I can do for my growing family. It can't hurt anyway, and I feel better knowing that I'm cutting down on the chemicals that enter their itty bitty bodies. And with store brands expanding their lines, organic is more affordable than ever. It drives me crazy that bad food is cheap and good food is expensive. It should be the other way around, right?



Oh, and I should mention... though I LOVE eating food, cooking it has never been my thing. My Sweets is the gourmand in our house. For years he concocted deliriously decadent meals for us while I worked late at the office. Then suddenly I was home with Buby and had to figure out how to boil water... at age 29. My weeknight dinners still leave a lot to the imagination ~ and we do dine out on occasion ~ but I'm pretty strict about the quality and freshness of what we consume at home. And as a result, Buby has never turned his nose up at a bowl of raw veggies. I realize he's only 3.5 and may still hit a picky patch, but we've always talked to him about what's healthy for kids and what's not. He understands and has developed a taste for green. I love to hear him ask the waitress for steamed broccoli instead of fries. That said, he still enjoys sprinkle cookies as much as the next kid.



Since I don't always have time to cook Buby's meals from scratch, I like to stock up on a few faster foods that can be prepped in minutes or packed up for the road. This is in addition to fruit + veggies, of course. Here's what I swear by, as well as some staples in our fridge and pantry.



Quick Breakfasts:

• Kashi Strawberry Fields cereal
• Kashi 7 Whole Grain Puffs cereal
• Maple Grove Farms Organics Buttermilk pancake mix
• Maple Grove Farms pure maple syrup {I don't like, but Buby does}
• Earth's Best mini waffles with blueberries
• Dr. Oetker Organics Apple Cinnamon muffin mix
• Kashi TLC cereal bars {strawberry and blackberry}
• Gerber Organic Brown Rice made with natural whole grain
• Earth's Best Organic baby food
• Stonyfield Farm Organic Low fat Plain yogurt {for smoothies}
• Stonyfield Farm Organic Yo Baby yogurt {banana flavor}
• Shop Rite Certified Organic 1% milk

Quick Snacks:

• Kashi TLC Original 7 Grain crackers
• Organic cheese for slicing
• Organic petite carrots
• Newman's Own Organic California raisins
• Earth's Best Kidzs Organic apple sauce
• Lundberg Organic rice cakes with popcorn
• Health Valley organic soups {especially minestrone}
• Shop Rite organic peanut butter
• Annie's Organic cinnamon bunnies

Quick Dinners:

• Organic whole wheat pizza dough
• Del Monte organic tomato sauce
• Organic Valley shredded mozzarella
• Earthbound Farm Organic baby lettuces
• Annie's Homegrown mac & cheese with organic pasta
• De Boles Organic Whole Wheat Penne
• Hodgson Mill Certified Organic Fettuccine {whole wheat with milled flax seed}

Condiments:

• Smart Balance Organic whipped buttery spread
• Shop Rite Organic balsamic vinaigrette dressing {best ever!!}
• Shop Rite Certified Organic sweet cream stick butter
• Organic Valley cream cheese
• Pam Organic olive oil spray for cooking
• Land O Lake all natural large brown eggs or Organic Valley

I prefer to buy organic fruits and veggies until our local farmers markets start back up in May, but it depends where I shop that week. The bagged organic apples and bananas at the store near us are consistently too soft + mushy. They wouldn't last more than a day on our counter. Other exceptions include Minute Maid for Kids orange juice, because we like the taste and added vitamins. Our Sam's Club blueberries are not organic, but they are heavenly.



We have yet to find a regular beef supplier, though we've had excellent luck with a local cattle farm. For sandwiches I like Polaner All Fruit spread {sweetened only with real fruit} on Arnold 100% natural whole grain whole wheat bread. The only hot dogs I buy for Buby or I are Applegate Farms uncured turkey dogs. They are free of nitrates, antibiotics and preservatives. I simply throw them in a bowl with beans; sprinkle with mustard, ketchup and brown sugar; and bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Yum! So that's what we're doing. It's my theory that when Buby + Bleu are in their 30s ALL food will be organic, and the kids won't remember a time when it wasn't. We will care more about our bodies and our earth. Dunkin' Donuts will still be busy, but my beloved bowties will probs be 100% natural or soy or gluten free. Ha.

Two Beds

To be continued... Bleu is starting to stir.


P.S. Check in later for new photos + my
"Things I Love ~ Thursday" post about organics.

1 Grandma + 1 Swing

Buby and Grandma DJ at the park recently.

= 2 Smiles.

Walk the Line

So I've been getting a lot of emails asking if Bleu is walking yet. Here is where we stand on that front: She'll be 11 months old tomorrow. She cruises along perimeters nonstop. She walks holding just my pointer finger. She climbs any combination of unstable objects to get what she wants. She speed-crawls if she sees me walking away. She stands unassisted for extended periods. She has the strength and stability to walk alone but doesn't realize it yet. Last week I was sort of hoping she'd never be old enough to walk. And then I realized she couldn't crawl in any of those cutie summer dresses in her closet. So NOW I'm all about walking.


P.S. How about those chubby feet?

A Note

Click to enlarge.

i heart

the sight of: little kids decorating trees; a stocked fridge; covered bridges; sky-high trees; historic plaques; Bleu in lacy headbands + dresses; Buby whispering in his sister's ear


the sound of: river rapids in march; Bleu saying "banana;" Buby drumming on his lap in the car and reading to himself after the lights go out {he memorizes his books}


the taste of: bowties + iced lattes; key lime pie drizzled in fresh raspberry sauce; warm bagels; pub pickles; peppercorn flavored pork tenderloin; organic baby greens; mashed potatoes and creamed corn; cookies fresh out of the oven


the feel of: 55 degrees or above; a family outing every weekend; making it to church with a few minutes to spare; My Sweets kissing my forehead as he runs to catch his train; laughing out loud with my mom in the car; clean sheets; photographing my babes while they are still young; running sand through Bleu's fingers


the thought of: saver boxes; seeing friends; being IN love; Bleu perking up at the mere mention of bread; sunshine + blossoms; visiting family next month; bug-catching gear; road trips and campouts; Buby close to swimming on his own; board games; wooden peg puzzles; mail in our box

Photos from today. As you can see, they both take tree decorating very seriously.

Dreaming in Yellow

Bleu will be ONE next month. That means I have birthday on the brain. We are throwing a lil' brunch for her at my parents' house on the 18th. They live in Family Land along with everyone else, so it just makes sense for us to travel for the occasion. It will be a more petite party than Buby's 1st {which was incredible, but it felt too BIG}. This year I'm really looking forward to simple, yummy, and small enough to hang with all of our guests. And I can't say it enough, thank you to my mom and dad for hosting yet another shindig for us. We are so grateful.


The theme {if you can call it that} is yellow, a sunny happy yellow that reminds me of our bright-eyed Bleu. Funny, but I never liked the color before my daughter came along. One day I accidentally dressed her in newborn yellow... et voila. Love at first sight. The color is soo her. I think I've been dreaming in yellow as I hunt for deals on all-things-sweet in this exact shade. Polka dots are a plus. So far I have dessert plates, cups, flatware, napkins, table covers, paper lanterns, invites, a cupcake stamper, ribbon, fabric, a top + bloomer pattern, hair pretties, a shirt for Buby, kid favors, and candles. I need to make a banner, figure out the confection, and get Grandma DJ some measurements ASAP. My mom and I came up with a menu. She's an outstanding cook, but I insisted on some easier items we could prep the night before so that she can enjoy herself, too. Trust me, it's all the scrumptious-ness you want at 11 a.m. on a Saturday.

Star Cow

Here's Buby last Wednesday in his first school play, based on The Very Busy Caterpillar by Eric Carle. He did a fabulous job. I am so proud of our little guy for walking up there and doing his thing. I can just imagine how nerve-wracking it is for a 3-year-old to perform on stage in front of a crowd full of strangers and flashing cameras. It was a wonderful exercise in self confidence, memorization and teamwork.



Buby's co-cow Alexa said "Moo. Moo." He followed up with, "Aren't you hungry? Do you want to eat some grass?" My mom got to see it with me, which was awesome. After all the kids said their lines they sang a song and took a bow. That was a bonus gift. See a short video below.

Happy Spring

Buby's hat was handmade ~ for me ~ by Grandma DJ. He stole it.




Bleu's hat was handmade ~ for cousin Grace ~ by Aunt Jen. She stole it.




A new teether for the toothless Bleu.

Beautiful

I will never tire of watching these two together. I love everything about them, especially the way they just get each other. There are no words to describe the bond. Buby may have started out a mama's boy, but these days I don't stand a chance. His Daddy walks on water.

In the Mountains

We live a stone's throw from the mountains, and on weekends we like to take full advantage. This Saturday morning started out a tad thorny but ended on a most magnificent note. At 9 a.m. I was running late for Bleu's swim class. Buby staged a mini meltdown at home. I took what I thought was a short cut and got lost, and Bleu missed her class anyway. But all was well as soon as I pulled back into the driveway to find my boys in the Jeep waiting for us.


My Sweets knows I have a thing for old covered bridges, and there was one he thought I might like to see up in the mountains. The drive was beautiful. The sun was out. The wee ones were happy. We arrived to find two covered bridges, a river with rapids, and some snow hanging on for dear life. We hiked. Buby fished. Bleu played in the sand and dirt. We had the yummiest burgers at a hidden gem My Sweets and I discovered once upon a time... on a motorcycle date. It was every bit as delicious as I remembered.

P.S. I'm almost in tears right now. I took some shots of the kids later in the day, and they are all gone. My camera battery died while I was uploading last night, and without realizing all of the photos hadn't finished transferring I deleted my memory card after unplugging. I photographed Bleu's first time playing in the sand, and it was so framable. Unlike Buby at that age, she dug right in. Ugh. C'est la vie.

Old Photo Friday

December 1955. My mom. She's my favorite person to call.

Mini Mes

I don't dare do laundry and not invite them to help. They love to switch loads with me. Usually we get an assembly line going, and it's pretty efficient. I pull things out of the wash and hand them to Buby + Bleu to throw into the dryer.

Week in Review

Buby playing Old Maid with Grandma M.

Oh my. Where did the days go? This week flew by in a flash. It was wonderful to spend some quality time with both of Buby + Bleu's grandmas. Here is Buby playing card games with my mom. I'll try to catch you up by Monday. Lots of photos. For now I need to sleep. Have a good one.

Irish Bug Catcher

Happy St. Pat's Day

Photo taken by moi at a local parade on Sunday.

Hmmm

I would so like to know what she's thinking.

Monday Night

Grandma Express

A one-hour Grandma overlap today at Panera Bread.



Buby is super busy doing really important things this week. Like... making applesauce, reading books, bouncing on knees, playing b-ball, learning new card games. Just as we said goodbye to Grandma DJ we said hello to Grandma M. That's 7 straight days of Grandma Lovin'. Hip Hip!