Here she is with the dolly stroller after the baby steps.
Celebrating with a musical spoon later in the day. Take note of the balance and ability to multitask. I keep telling her, I know she can walk, she just needs to believe in herself!!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Baby Steps...
That's right! This morning we had some tiny, hesitant baby steps. I had to coerce them out of her by slowly moving her dolly stroller as she tried to transition from the couch to her stroller, but does it really matter? I counted 2.5 tiny, sputtering, not really intentional baby steps and I'm counting them!! There's still some small hope that she just might walk by Easter, right? I mean WAY more unexpected things have happened on Easter Sunday.
Here she is with the dolly stroller after the baby steps.
Celebrating with a musical spoon later in the day. Take note of the balance and ability to multitask. I keep telling her, I know she can walk, she just needs to believe in herself!!
Here she is with the dolly stroller after the baby steps.
Celebrating with a musical spoon later in the day. Take note of the balance and ability to multitask. I keep telling her, I know she can walk, she just needs to believe in herself!!
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Family Dinner
We had the whole family over for a Sunday night feast. Great fun, great food and I'm sure you'll agree, very, very cute babies.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Spring!
We went on a little Spring adventure today and headed up for the tulips. The weather was beautiful and we all loved seeing the tulips... I bet in a couple weeks it will be even more spectacular.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Happy Friday!
We've been pretty boring today, but at least we fit in a trip to Costco and some fun pictures! Have a good weekend!
This morning I had to rescue Abby from her basket full of toys... This is what happens when your arms are too short to reach the toy you want I guess.
Giving her best one year old + 2 weeks smile.
As I've said before Sammy pretty much stays in the same spot and stares out the window for most of the day and I think if I let her Abby would join her for long stretches. What a treat for people walking by! I hope someday I look up to see a rosy cheeked baby girl waving at me with a fluffy doodle standing guard and licking her face now and then. To think we used to worry about how these two would get along...
At this point Abby was definitely telling me "NO more pictures!" but I needed just one more...
... and just as she has been doing more and more lately, she really let me know that she meant NOW! I wonder where she learned to be so impatient and demanding?
This morning I had to rescue Abby from her basket full of toys... This is what happens when your arms are too short to reach the toy you want I guess.
Giving her best one year old + 2 weeks smile.
As I've said before Sammy pretty much stays in the same spot and stares out the window for most of the day and I think if I let her Abby would join her for long stretches. What a treat for people walking by! I hope someday I look up to see a rosy cheeked baby girl waving at me with a fluffy doodle standing guard and licking her face now and then. To think we used to worry about how these two would get along...
At this point Abby was definitely telling me "NO more pictures!" but I needed just one more...
... and just as she has been doing more and more lately, she really let me know that she meant NOW! I wonder where she learned to be so impatient and demanding?
Thursday, March 25, 2010
baby muffins
I made Abby some delicious muffins today and I wanted to share. They taste great and are good for you, so it's a double bonus! I have a hard time getting Abby to eat fruits and veggies. She refuses to let me spoon feed her yet she won't pick up anything but bread, cheese, pancake or muffin on her tray so here is my solution for now...
Here's my little baby muffin getting ready to help Mom.
Zucchini Bran Muffins
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup whole-wheat flour
2/3 cup miller's bran (available at natural foods stores, specialty foods shops, and some supermarkets)
2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup of pureed prunes and dried apricots
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded carrot
zest of one orange
2 cups coarsely grated zucchini
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place prunes and apricots in a sauce pan with water and boil for 5 minutes or more. Puree them in your food mill or Cuisinart, add orange zest and place aside. In a bowl whisk together the flours, the bran, the baking powder, the salt, the cinnamon, and the cloves. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter with the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, add the pureed fruit and zest, add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat in the vanilla. Beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture, beat in the milk, and stir in the raisins, the walnuts, and the zucchini. Divide the batter among 12 well-buttered or paper-lined 1/2-cup muffin tins and bake the muffins in the middle of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Turn the muffins out onto a rack and let them cool.
Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Zucchini-Raisin-Bran-Muffins-12526#ixzz0jECJreFG
Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Zucchini-Raisin-Bran-Muffins-12526#ixzz0jEBRFNI5
Here's my little baby muffin getting ready to help Mom.
Zucchini Bran Muffins
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup whole-wheat flour
2/3 cup miller's bran (available at natural foods stores, specialty foods shops, and some supermarkets)
2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup of pureed prunes and dried apricots
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded carrot
zest of one orange
2 cups coarsely grated zucchini
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place prunes and apricots in a sauce pan with water and boil for 5 minutes or more. Puree them in your food mill or Cuisinart, add orange zest and place aside. In a bowl whisk together the flours, the bran, the baking powder, the salt, the cinnamon, and the cloves. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter with the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, add the pureed fruit and zest, add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat in the vanilla. Beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture, beat in the milk, and stir in the raisins, the walnuts, and the zucchini. Divide the batter among 12 well-buttered or paper-lined 1/2-cup muffin tins and bake the muffins in the middle of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Turn the muffins out onto a rack and let them cool.
Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Zucchini-Raisin-Bran-Muffins-12526#ixzz0jECJreFG
Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Zucchini-Raisin-Bran-Muffins-12526#ixzz0jEBRFNI5
Friday, March 19, 2010
cooking for one
Charlie is in Las Vegas for the weekend so I'm cooking for one and I've come to the conclusion that I really don't like it. I always make way too much food, and when it's just me, the problem is just that much worse. I also feel really unmotivated when it's just me... but earlier today I was at the store buying food for Abby and I picked up some seafood on sale so I had to use it. I ended up making a thai seafood soup and it turned out really well... so even though I hate cooking for one I thought I'd let you guys know that it still tastes good. Oh, and just in case you were wondering, Abby scarfed down some ham, cheese, and spinach pancakes today!
Melissa's Thai Seafood Soup - measuring and cooking for one do not go together, but if you are inclined to experiment gather up these ingredients and make yourself so good soup
1/4 c diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbl diced ginger
1 stalk of lemongrass
2-3 small tomatoes, diced
1/4 lb clams (or less, the soup was a tad fishy for my tastes and I am blaming the clams)
1/4 lb mussels
hand full of bay scallops
1/2 can of light coconut milk
1 tsp red curry paste
1 tsp red chili paste
1/2 c veggie or chix stock
1 Tbl brown sugar
1-2 Tbl oil (I used a combo of sesame and chili oil)
cilantro
lime
fish sauce
snap peas
Saute the onion, garlic, ginger and lemongrass in oil. Add tomato and cook for a while. Add coco milk, pastes, stock, sugar and simmer for just a bit. Add seafood. Cook and let flavors meld. Add peas or other veggies.
Some nice crusty bread tastes good with this too.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
deceptively delicious
Here it is! My secret weapon.
Say what? I had no idea that these pancakes were filled with banana, blueberry, mango, prunes and apricot.
Cheers Mom! You got me!
A good friend of mine gave me the deceptively delicious cookbook while I was pregnant. I secretly hoped that I wouldn't need to use it and still hope that I won't have a picky eater on my hands, but there are days (sometimes weeks) when Abby seems to only eat the cheese and toast on her tray and skips all the fruits and veggies that I provide for her to balance out her meals... but guess what? I've finally outsmarted her! Me and Bob Red Mill have her fooled! This baby girl will eat just about anything mixed into a pancake or muffin. Well I don't know that for sure yet. But she ate a ton of exotic fruit today and I have a feeling she'll scarf down spinach parmesan cakes if I make those too. I'll let you know!
Say what? I had no idea that these pancakes were filled with banana, blueberry, mango, prunes and apricot.
Cheers Mom! You got me!
A good friend of mine gave me the deceptively delicious cookbook while I was pregnant. I secretly hoped that I wouldn't need to use it and still hope that I won't have a picky eater on my hands, but there are days (sometimes weeks) when Abby seems to only eat the cheese and toast on her tray and skips all the fruits and veggies that I provide for her to balance out her meals... but guess what? I've finally outsmarted her! Me and Bob Red Mill have her fooled! This baby girl will eat just about anything mixed into a pancake or muffin. Well I don't know that for sure yet. But she ate a ton of exotic fruit today and I have a feeling she'll scarf down spinach parmesan cakes if I make those too. I'll let you know!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Photo Shoot
So here they are the pictures from our big photo shoot! They turned out pretty cute! I hope no one is disappointed that we didn't wear any of the outfits that I posted...
Monday, March 15, 2010
"My they sure do like ketchup..."
This is a famous quote from a Cougan family story that's been told over and over. Here's the quick version: Kelsey and I are babies and my parents are young and look even younger. As a treat we go to some fish and chips restaurant and after eating something healthy (or so I assume) Kelsey and I gorge ourselves on straight ketchup. Just as we're perfectly covered in ketchup and look like sticky ragamuffins, some snotty older lady says "My they sure do like ketchup" and gives my parents a disapproving once over and walks away. My parents had to laugh and probably still do because we spent our whole childhood eating ketchup often and on pretty much anything my Mom would let us put it on. Anyway, this quote has come up again and again and I think Abby may have been listening and waiting for her chance to get some of that ketchup and just like you'd expect, this baby sure likes ketchup!!
Birthdays are the BEST!
Abby loved everything about her birthday (and so did I!) she loved the cake, she loved the parties, she loved the presents and most of all, she loved being with her friends and family to celebrate HER BIRTHDAY! It was a whirlwind, but it was my baby's first birthday and it was all I could ask for and more.
The whole family loves Abby's birthday!!
She actually used to wear this onesie! Can you believe it!?
CAKE! It's SO good!
We got Abby a castle climbing toy with a slide and a tunnel, here she is loving it (although I think it'll be a while before she can do much more than put balls on the slide and watch them go down)
Abby loves hats.
Such proud parents!!
Abby woke up this morning and immediately began pointing to the stairs and making lots of DO! noises. So here were are playing bright and early. (I know that juice is not a toy, it is down there to weigh the stroller down - Abby can't quite walk yet, so she kept flipping it over without the extra weight).
Thanks family and friends. Your love and generosity is overwhelming and you are exactly the people that I wanted to surround my beloved Abby on her first birthday!
Looking so old in her skinny jeans and pushing her dolly stroller!
The whole family loves Abby's birthday!!
She actually used to wear this onesie! Can you believe it!?
CAKE! It's SO good!
We got Abby a castle climbing toy with a slide and a tunnel, here she is loving it (although I think it'll be a while before she can do much more than put balls on the slide and watch them go down)
Abby loves hats.
Such proud parents!!
Abby woke up this morning and immediately began pointing to the stairs and making lots of DO! noises. So here were are playing bright and early. (I know that juice is not a toy, it is down there to weigh the stroller down - Abby can't quite walk yet, so she kept flipping it over without the extra weight).
Thanks family and friends. Your love and generosity is overwhelming and you are exactly the people that I wanted to surround my beloved Abby on her first birthday!
Looking so old in her skinny jeans and pushing her dolly stroller!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Happy Birthday Abigail Lillian!
March 2009
What a difference a year makes!!
March 13, 2010
Dear Abby,
I cannot believe that it's been a year. Before you were born I had sort of a wish list for how I wanted you to be and you have it all plus things I could have never even thought of. You have made me one proud Mommy and I love every day with you! You truly have filled our life with more joy than we could have ever imagined. You are so full of smiles and joy. Someday when you are older I hope there is a time machine so you can go back and watch yourself. You pick people, seemingly at random and smile at them until they smile back at you. It's a powerful thing, not very many people can bring out real smiles in unwitting strangers, but you sure can! And you have so much enthusiasm. You light up when you hear the things you love and wave your arms and really go crazy for a second when you hear the voices of loved ones but can't see them yet or the tinkling of Sammy's collar before she comes into view and I love seeing that excitement. I hope you never lose that kind of excitement for what's important to you. You are the best! Happy Birthday Abby Malley!
Love,
Mommy & Daddy
What a difference a year makes!!
March 13, 2010
Dear Abby,
I cannot believe that it's been a year. Before you were born I had sort of a wish list for how I wanted you to be and you have it all plus things I could have never even thought of. You have made me one proud Mommy and I love every day with you! You truly have filled our life with more joy than we could have ever imagined. You are so full of smiles and joy. Someday when you are older I hope there is a time machine so you can go back and watch yourself. You pick people, seemingly at random and smile at them until they smile back at you. It's a powerful thing, not very many people can bring out real smiles in unwitting strangers, but you sure can! And you have so much enthusiasm. You light up when you hear the things you love and wave your arms and really go crazy for a second when you hear the voices of loved ones but can't see them yet or the tinkling of Sammy's collar before she comes into view and I love seeing that excitement. I hope you never lose that kind of excitement for what's important to you. You are the best! Happy Birthday Abby Malley!
Love,
Mommy & Daddy
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