Sharing with the Drama Queen

Like most young kids, Isaac is learning to share. He is learning how to share everything from toys to books to crackers to the park (yes, he is learning that he can't always have the park all to himself). Sharing with Maddie is something we work on everyday. If he takes a toy from Maddie, I usually give him my "mama look" (you know the one) and he softly replies, "We share da toys wif Maddie" (though he doesn't always give them back without coercion or manipulation).

The other day I took the kids for a walk to the grocery store after they woke from their naps. He LOVES this grocery store because they have special car carts that he can "drive" around. We were standing at the crosswalk about a block from the store, waiting for the light to change. An elderly man was waiting at the crosswalk with us. As soon as the sign said walk, he booked it ahead of us.

Isaac immediately became antsy, staring at our little crosswalk buddy as he sped ahead of us on the sidewalk, saying over and over (whether to himself, or the elderly man, I'm not sure) "We share da store...we share da store!"

That's right, buddy. We even share the grocery store.

Maddie has always been something of a drama queen, but she has taken this status to new heights recently. Here is a video clip of her in top form. She and Isaac love to play around on his car. He pushes her (sometimes a little wrecklessly--we're working on that) around the house. If you will notice, she is a bundle of smiles whenever he pushes her, but as soon as he stops, she squeals her ear-piercing squeal at the top of her lungs, as if she's just lost a limb or something. This is usually the only way Maddie chooses to voice her opinion.

Please excuse my camera skills--I was trying to help them with the car and direct the video at the same time and it didn't work too well.

We Love You, Grandma!

Ryan's maternal Grandmother, Marjorie, passed away peacefully last night after her battle with cancer. We love her and she will be missed. We are so happy that she is no longer in any physical pain.

Ryan and I were able to live close to Grandma for about 9 months. It was shortly after Isaac was born and we often took him on walks to her house. We would stop and chat with her for awhile and she was always so welcoming and pleased to see us. She loved to hold Isaac and diagnose all his baby problems--whether it be how he had a wet "nappy" (diaper) or a "windy" (burp) that was making him uncomfortable. Her South African accent was the greatest and I am thankful that we were able to get to know her better during that time. We only wish we had gone on more walks to see her and learned more about her life, and that we had taken the time to photograph her with our children.

Our thoughts and prayers are with our family members back home--we wish we could be there with you during this sacred time. We love you!

Bear with Me

I am well aware that I am more obsessed with my baby's hair than perhaps any other mother in the history of time, but bear with me here...

French Braids at 9 months old!

French Braids!!

I took both Maddie and Isaac to the Dr. a little over a week ago and I've been meaning to post their stats:

Maddie

Height: 26.75 inches (23rd percentile)

Weight: 17 lbs., 2 oz. (20th percentile)

Isaac

Height: 34 inches (40th percentile)

Weight: 27.2 lbs. (40th percentile)

One of my sisters tagged me a little while back (and I never turn down a tag---it's like a triple-dog-dare only much more important), so here's some more info about my kids that you may or may not already know (let's face it, this is a total "baby blog" and if you read it then you already know most of this stuff).

1. Full name: Madelyn Ruth

2. Birth: June 7, 2008 (6/7/08---pretty sweet b-day, huh? Future hubby has no good excuse for forgetting that one)

3. Stats: 8lbs, 10 oz. 20.5 inches long

4. Nicknames: Maddie Moo, Princesa

5. Favorite foods: Anything we put in front of her, but most especially guacamole, hummus, puffs, yogurt, and cheese. Oh, and anything sweet.

6. Least favorite foods: we haven't discovered anything that she's unwilling to eat (yet).

7. Favorite Toys: Anything Isaac is playing with, especially his car garage, sippy cup, and tooth brush (no wonder they're both sick today).

8. Favorite Color: Since she can't really tell me what her favorite color is I will just assume that it's pink.

9. Favorite animal: No idea--birds maybe because she likes to point at things in the sky?

10. Favorite Game: peek-a-boo and waving bye-bye with her dad.

11. Favorite movie: A little too young to say---Cars, maybe, since that's the only one she's seen?

12. Loves: Being outside. Standing up and climbing on top of everything. Eating. The swings and slide at the park. Pulling all the books off the book shelf and leaving them in a pile on the floor. Attention from anyone and everyone.

13. Hates: Being away from the action. She hardly ever cries when she takes her early afternoon nap because Isaac is with her, but she almost always bursts into tears for the late afternoon nap because she's by herself and hates to be left out.

1. Full name: Isaac Mitchell

2. Birth: March 10, 2007 (his b-day is my half b-day, and vice-versa---also pretty sweet)

3. Stats: 5lbs, 15 oz. 18.5 inches long

4. Nicknames: Ike, Chancho, Bubba

5. Favorite foods: Quesadillas, pizza, ketchup, ice cream, and especially CHOCOLATE

6. Least favorite foods: anything that's "a lidda bit hot"

7. Favorite Toys: Cars, tractors, fire engines, airplanes, or anything else that "goes"

8. Favorite Color: orange

9. Favorite animal: birds, dogs, horses, and even ladybugs

10. Favorite Game: Racing his cars

11. Favorite movie: Cars or any Baby Einstein video

12. Loves: Being outside. Climbing on top of EVERYTHING. The swings and slide at the park. When his dad comes home from school. Cooking with his mama. Eating chocolate.

13. Hates: Not being able to do things like a "big boy."

Miss Conventional

Maddie has discovered that, while the army crawl is fun, it's kind of hard to get around. Here she is with her newest (and slightly more conventional) moves.

I'm going to miss her little shoulder shimmy--I thought it was so cute.

And the Fun Continues...

Today was my parents' last full day in Iowa, so we decided to pull out all the stops.

First, we made a stop at the Baby Boomers Cafe for some of President Obama's favorite Chocolate Chunk cookies. Here you see my dad crossing party lines in the name of a cookie.

Then, we headed to the classy Southridge mall for a little carousel ride----Isaac was a little bit timid on his zebra...

...but Maddie couldn't stop squealing and dancing on her dragon as we spun around.

Here is a little video clip of the carousel. If you listen closely, you can hear Maddie squeal a couple of times after you see and unenthusiastic Isaac pass by. As we passed by Ryan, my dad, and the carousel operator, she kept squawking at them so they would look at her and see her in all her glory, riding her dragon.

Then we headed off to the zoo. Both the African animals and the Australian animals were out of commission (because of winter?), so that pretty much left the sea lions, the tigers, and the petting zoo.

Isaac wasn't too hip on feeding the billy goat (can't say I blame him, I don't like animals licking my hands either), but he loved feeding the fish because he just threw the little food pellets in the water. As we left he said, "I LIKE fish!"

Maddie wasn't too hip on the zoo (she had a mild melt-down), but she LOVED Hickory Park, the delicious BBQ resaurant where we ate tonight. We discovered she is a big fan of mashed potatoes and gravy--she couldn't get enough of them.

My parents said goodbye to the kids tonight before they went to bed since they'll be leaving before sunrise tomorrow. It was such a fun trip and we can't wait until they come to visit again!

Nauvoo and Carthage with the Grandparents

I realize that I have posted about Nauvoo several times (see here, here, and here), but none of the previous posts have included mom and D.

My dad is a bit of a Church history buff, and he hadn't been to Nauvoo since he was in the 3rd grade (that was a long time ago). So we headed to Illinois on Monday morning and stayed the night. Our hotel was a rockin' 3 bedroom suite (minus the not-so-gourmet breakfast basket) right across the street from the temple. We had a great time, even though the drive was long and we had to keep pumping the kids full of sugar to keep them happy.

Isaac playing with Gramps on the wagon ride.

Maddie enjoying the ride with her papa.

The Nauvoo Temple

Gramps learning to make rope.

Isaac standing next to a statue of Hyrum and Joesph.

There aren't many kids who have had the privilege of being put in time-out in the room referred to as the "dungeon" at Carthege jail--but Isaac has. He was acting up during the presentation so Ryan took matters into his own hands.

Let the Fun Begin...

Grandma and Grandpa came into town last night and the kids have already gotten used to all of the attention. Isaac kept calling my dad "Abuelo Loco" (crazy Grandpa) this afternoon.

Grandma and her namesake getting reacquainted. Getting spoiled--they brought presents for everybody!

The girl with crazy hair is fascinated with facial hair.

Watching his Grandpa shoot water through his two front teeth was the funniest thing Isaac had ever seen.

I don't know if he's ever laughed that hard.

Trying out the trike at the park--it got to be over 60 degrees today! Mr. Lucky must have brought the good weather with him.

Another reason to rejoice---we have a new niece! Katherine Claire was born to proud parents Gavin and Becky and big sis Eleanor. We are so happy to welcome this beautiful little miracle into the family.

What Sister did During Brother's Naptime Yesterday

I've been Thinking...

I just love the way Isaac and Maddie are looking at each other in this picture.

Lately I have had a lot of things remind me about the blessings of being a mother of young children. I will be the first to admit that it can be a very trying and very tiring work, but more and more I am given little reminders about how grateful I should be for the opportunity to do exactly what I'm doing. Here are some examples:

• I read a blog entry written the other day by a woman who had been in a horrible accident. She is currently going through some very painful rehabilitation. She talked about one day being able to fix dinner for her family again. That was her wish! It is so easy for me to consider fixing dinner just another job I have complete on my "to do list." I have been trying to look at it as a privilege instead.
• My kids are getting to the age where they are really starting to enjoy each other. No, not all the time, but there are little moments every once in awhile. Isaac can make Maddie laugh and it is one of the sweetest sounds in the whole world to me. I still can't believe these children are mine.
• I have so many great examples that I look up to, from mothers to sisters to friends. I want to be more like you and am so thankful to be able to learn from you. I really feel like my little family is right where it should be right now. We are surrounded by so many positive examples (even though some of you are a thousand miles away) and you all buoy me up and make me want to do better. I want you to know that.
• Although my day to day job as a stay-at-home mom isn't the easiest thing I've ever done (by far the hardest, actually), I am really enjoying it. I haven't always been able to say that (think times of pregnancy). I have thought a lot about where I would be and what I would be doing if I could do anything, and I really feel like I'm living the dream right now!---here in Des Moines, Iowa--poor students in a dumpy, 2-bedroom apartment with a husband in podiatry school and me, a stay-at-home mom. Who would have ever guessed?
• Ryan's mom has a saying, "Motherhood is not for wimps!" and I couldn't agree more. There are moments when I definitely feel too wimpy for this work, but there are also days when I feel like my children are only going to be kids for a short while, and I want to enjoy it as much as I can. I want to be able to look back on these times when they were so little and have fond memories and few regrets.
• As scary as these times are (and they really are scary), I am so grateful for the knowledge of a bigger plan and an eternal perspective, and a loving husband who helps keep me grounded and helps me achieve my goals. He is definitely my better half and being around him makes me want to be a better person.

Look Who's Two!

Isaac turned two years old today. Birthdays are always a little sentimental to me, especially those of my children. We are so happy to have Isaac in our family. He made me a mom two years ago today and my life will be forever changed because of it.

Growing up, Ryan's family had a birthday tradition where everyone in his family would wake up the birthday girl or boy in the morning and give them presents in bed. We decided to carry that tradition over to our family, so here's a little clip of us waking Isaac up this morning. Thanks for the trike Grandma and Grandpa! Here are a few facts about Isaac:

• He LOVES chocolate, quesadillas, ketchup, ice cream, and anything that's colder than room temperature--he has a crazy fear of being burned by food that's "hot."
• He loves to play at the park, and especially loves the twisty slides.
• He is obsessed with doing anything and everything by himself, so he can be a "Nino Grande," or "Big boy."
• The majority of his melt downs occur when I try to help him do something that he is capable (or feels he is capable) of doing himself. While this new found independence can try my patience (because I can do things for him much faster than he can do himself), it's exciting to watch.
• He loves his little sister---sometimes a little too much.
• Anytime he hurts himself at all, he runs over to me and makes me kiss his "owies." I've kissed his fingers, hands, head, and even feet many a time. It always makes him feel better and he usually responds, "It's ok."
• He loves playing "rocket" with Ryan. He loves getting piggy back rides from me. We call them "monkey rides," since he looks like a monkey on my back.
• He has started saying his own prayers, and blesses everything from "grandma," to "Walmart" (sad, I know--someday I hope he blesses Target instead)
• He has started speaking in more complete sentences, both in Spanish and English. Some of his most common phrases are:

1. "What are you doing mama, what are you doing, huh?"
2. "Are you ok, Maddie? Are you ok?"
3. "I wanna get out of the crib!"
4. "I wanna go FAST!" (anytime he's running or riding on his push bike)
5. "Sorry, Maddie! Sorry!"
6. "It's good, mama, it's good!" (when he likes what we're eating for dinner)
7. "Mine, Maddie! MIIIIIIIINNNNNEEEE!"
8. "Bye-bye Papa, have fun!" (when Ryan leaves for school in the morning)
9. "C'mon Papa, c'mon! Let's play!"
10. "I'm stuck! Help! Help! Who can help? I'm stuck like a duck in the muck, down by the deep green marsh!" (a line from one of his favorite books, One Duck Stuck)
11. "Be Careful!" (usually after taking a tumble of some sort)
12. "I wanna go to Costco/Walmart!"
13. "Two minutes!" (when he tries to bargain with us and wants to play for "two more minutes" instead of getting ready for bed).

Isaac helped me bake his cake last night (without knowing it was for him). No, that's not red lipstick, but red velvet cake covering his face.

In the mean time, Ryan was putting the tricycle together (the verdict is still out on who's more excited about it, Isaac...or his Papa).

Isaac and his new bilingual laptop,gracias al tio y la tia.

Maddie with her token gift (garage sale steal=$1).

Isaac and his new block tower (another garage sale steal).

The birthday boy blowing out his candles.

We love you, Chancho! Thank you for bringing so much happiness into our home-you have such a kind heart and we don't know what we'd do without you.

Chicken Tikka Masala and Naan

Photo courtesy of My Kitchen Cafe

I stumbled upon a new recipe the other day and decided to try it for dinner this afternoon--it was a keeper so I thought I'd share. We love Indian food around here, and it's a classic Indian dish--Chicken Tikka Masala--don't let the name scare you--it isn't difficult at all! The best part about the recipe is that, while it takes some time, it doesn't take any amount of cooking skills--as long as you can dice a pepper and throw a few spices together, you will be successful. Another great thing about the recipe was that I had everything on hand except the fresh ginger, so there aren't any odd ingredients or spices that are impossible to find.

I also took a chance this afternoon and tried making Naan to go with the Tikka Masala. Although it's going to take a little bit more work to get just right, it was perfectly edible on the first try, so I consider it a success. If you can make yeast bread and you have a pizza stone, you can make Naan. Like the Chicken Tikka Masala, it just takes a little time.

Hope you like the recipes.

Chicken Tikka Masala Adapted Slightly from My Kitchen Cafe

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes

Combine all ingredients except chicken in a Ziploc freezer bag. Shake together until well blended. Add chicken and marinate at least one hour (I let it sit for about 8 hours). Discard marinade. Cook chicken in frying pan.

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 8-oz can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for one minute. Season with cumin, paprika and salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add cooked chicken and simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve over hot rice with naan bread.

Photo courtesy of My Kitchen Cafe

Naan

Adapted slightly from My Kitchen Cafe

• Approximately 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons yeast
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt
• 1/2 cup warm milk (warm enough to activate the yeast)

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl by hand), stir together the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, and yeast. In a small bowl, mix together the egg, yogurt, and milk. Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and stir for about 1 minute, until the dry ingredients are completely incorporated into the wet ingredients.

Increase machine speed and knead the dough until it is smooth and shiny. Remove the bowl from the mixer and cover with a towel. Leave in a warm place to rise until the dough doubles in size, about an hour.

Put a baking stone or heavy baking sheet on the lowest rack of your oven. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees for at least 30 minutes prior to baking so the stone can get hot.

Divide the dough into eight pieces and form into oval shapes with your hands, about 6 to 8 inches across.

Cook two or three pieces at a time. Drop the dough onto the hot stone and shut the oven door, watching until they are just starting to turn brown in places, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove the naan from the oven. Spread with garlic butter if desired. Serve warm with Tikka Masala or your favorite Indian dish.

Our Little Maddie

Maddie is 9 months old today. As cliche as it sounds, the time has gone by so fast, yet I can't remember what we ever did without our little princesa. Here are a few facts about Maddie:

• She loves to pull herself up onto anything and everything.
• Her favorite toy is Isaac's toothbrush or anything that Isaac is currently playing with.
• She will entertain herself for an hour if you put her within the vicinity of a toy box.
• She loves to eat just about anything you put in front of her, but especially hummus, guacamole, and vanilla yogurt.
• Lately she screams to express her emotions-all her emotions---happy, sad, angry---it's all the same high-pitched, ear-piercing scream.
• She's our little social butterfly--she solicits attention almost everywhere she goes and she smiles easily at almost everyone. There are only 2 known people that she is afraid of--Matt and Jake. I can't say I blame her, though. Those guys scare me sometimes, too.
• She dances anytime she hears music or anything remotely similar to music. Sadly, I think she inherited my sense of rhythm.
• She loves to click her tongue, give high fives, play peek-a-boo, and if you're really lucky she'll wave at you.
• Anytime anyone is clapping or cheering, she thinks they are cheering and clapping just for her and she starts to dance.
• She loves the swings at the park
• She hates to be left out of anything and will usually burst into tears when we put her down for her late evening nap.
• Loves all lights and will stare at them wherever we go.

Here is a little clip to show you how Maddie reacts when she doesn't get her guacamole fast enough. I had originally intended to get a little clip of Maddie's new found screaming so you could experience the ear-piercing first hand, but I got this instead: Not quite as graceful as her cousin, now is she? We have agreed NEVER to put her up on the counter in her Bumbo--EVER. We learned our lesson with her older bro.

She brings so much joy and happiness into our home and we feel so blessed to have her in our family. We love you, Madelyn!

Iowa Falls

One of my closest friends, Laura, moved to Iowa Falls late last year. Even though we had only known each other a year when she moved, it was really hard to see her leave. She and I had become great friends and she is someone I look up to in so many ways. She is definitely one of my "mommy mentors"---someone I look to often for advice on how to be a better mother. Luckily, Iowa Falls is only an hour or so north of us, so we visit her every once in awhile and we always have a great time.

About a month ago, we decided it was time to have a little girls' night up north, so me and a couple friends left our kids with the hubbies and made the trek to visit Laura. It was just what I needed! Great food, great conversation, and great friends.

Here is Jenni slaving away in the kitchen, making us a gourmet meal (seriously, when I say gourmet, I mean gour-may!). This is the same Jenni that gave me the rockin' salsa recipe.

While Jenni was busy cooking, I was busy documenting the moment behind the camera. Laura and Robyn, on the other hand, were busy doing a whole lot of nothin'.

Just kidding--Robyn and Laura did help in the kitchen--here you find Robyn carrying on an intense conversation while frying up some appetizers at the same time--such a multi-tasker.

Just before heading out four-wheeling

Can you see the excitement on our faces? We drove the four-wheelers across the frozen Iowa River--something everyone should do before they die. I had never been so excited to live somewhere where it gets cold enough that the rivers are frozen solid. The locals actually drive their four-wheelers on the frozen river to get to the grocery store.

Laura is 7 month preggo in this picture (currently 8+ months) and she still maneuvers the machine with ease

You can't tell because I hide my fear so well, but I was shaking in my boots with Robyn behind the wheel. She told me as she was driving a hundred miles an hour (or at least 20 or 30mph) that she felt invincible while driving! I, on the other hand, saw my life flash before my eyes once or twice...

She, too, is one of my "mommy mentors" here in Iowa--hard to believe from this picture alone, I know.

Have I sold you all on Iowa Falls, yet? Anyone up for a day trip? Seriously, it will make you want to live on a farm! We missed you more than ever, Ash!

This and That

Nothing really blog-worthy has happened lately (which isn't always a bad thing), so I thought I would post some random pictures that I have taken over the past few months.

We are all very glad when Daddy comes home each evening, especially Isaac. Every time he hears Ryan's keys in the door his eyes light up and he declares, "It's Papa!"

I love how Maddie looks like she ate way too much turkey in this picture--and the look on her face is classic.

Maddie loves these toys in the children's section of the library.

A Maddie-Isaac-Ryan sandwich