I Heart Everyday Food

I love to cook. I love to eat. I love cooking shows. And I really love "Everyday Food" on PBS. Why is it so great you may ask...

It's not because the cooks are that charismatic.

It's not because the recipes are that amazing, though they usually seem awesome.

It's not for any remotely normal reason.

Then why, Kels, why?

It's like porn for foodies! Yes, I said it. It's like porn! The way it's shot is beautiful. It makes everything seem so succulent and delicious. They just make the food look amazing. The way their ultra sharp knives glide through meat and mince onions gives me goosebumps. And it just makes me really, really,... hungry.

Thank you, "Everyday Food". I love you.

Significance in Photos

The picture to the left was taken January 30th, 2008 while she was sleeping in my arms. My little Beans was a whopping two weeks old. She weighed close to 8 pounds and was around 20 inches long. 

I was thrilled with and terrified by her. 

The picture to the right was taken January 30th, 2009 while she was wiggling on the couch. Exactly one year later. She's nearing 25 pounds and is over 30 inches tall. I'm still thrilled with her but she terrifies me much less.

Birthday Weekend: Dinner at Ahma and Papa's

For day two of the birthday weekend explosion, we traveled to the grandparents house for another birthday dinner!

Some one got to spend the whole day in her Nick and Nora pajamas.

This is not bed time, it's a nap.

Checking out the Sesame Street tunes.

Beans is a big fan of Papa.

And the glowing, flashing ball that they're playing with.

Home-made chocolate cake goodness!

Singing to the baby in Dada's lap.

In the birthday suit, ready for the cake!

Birthday Weekend: Cake Demolition

A little continuation from dinner... Beans had angel food cake with pink cream cheese icing.

She started out with a little taste.

Then things escalated.

"Oh my goodness."

You know it's serious when there's cake in the nose.

We think she's decided that cake is good.

"I do declare that this..."

"... finger is tasty."

Birthday Weekend: Bean's Dinner

We began the birthday weekend with a dinner for Beans. It was better than styrofoam. And cuter.

Beans' birthday dinner spread: corn dogs, shells and cheese, and sparkling apple juice.

And she wearing he birthday suit, accessorized with pink bunny ears.

Jason was ecstatic. 

Beans just wanted me to put the camera down and feed her.

Corn dogs required all seriousness and total concentration.

Beans thinks her dada is the best comedian on the face of the planet.

What a birthday without entertainment?

And of course, cake!

Baby Update: Happy Birthday from your Friends at Poison Control

Happy birthday to my Beany girl! That's right she's made it through one year of life! With some help from Muma and Dada, but why nit-pick?

For her first birthday treat, she found and partook (I suspect) of some styrofoam packaging! I turn my head for maybe 30 seconds and she's found some elusive foamy goodness. It's crumpled all around and I have no idea how much if any is in her mouth. Thus we fish for foam.

Not finding any in her mouth, I have a moment of peace. Then the "what ifs" set in. What is she did swallow some? Is it poisonous? Should I go to the hospital? Will they pump her stomach? But I remember the commercial "call 1-800-222-1222"! Yes, victory!

So I dial and follow the prompt and am connect with a very friendly fellow mommy (whose son will also be 1 on the 27th - happy birthday kiddo)! I tell her half laughing, half panicked  what has happened. She told me to hold for a moment while she checked, but was fairly certain that she'd be okay.

And of course after a moment she informed that she would be just fine. She said just give her a little something to drink and not to worry. Turns out that swallowing styrofoam is considered a "non-toxic" exposure! Hooray!

Child's first birthday, styrofoam, Poison Control,... all priceless!

Baby Update: What a Bean-utiful World

Haven't been blogging much. Too much going on to write. Beans has been developing at lightning speed.

She can walk. Not that she likes to do it much, but she can. She can walk across the living room with ease, but crawling is just so much faster. She has another tooth. A molar. This one makes a total of eight pearly whites in that baby's head. She learning to "talk". It's not really words, but she'll mimic sounds. She will say "ta too" for "thank you " on occasion and she has mastered "up". She has learned to drink from a straw. This doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but it's going to make bottle weaning so much easier! And today she climbed up onto the couch all on her own. A shoe box that we use to keep her blocks in was next to the couch and she, much to my chagrin, used it just like a stool. I'm proud of and terrified by this development.

She's going to be one year old this weekend. That means this time last year I was about to pop. Luckily I didn't. I just gave birth instead. Just popping would have been so much messier.

Having all that said, I have the greatest (albeit sometimes very very hard) job in the world. It doesn't pay a dime but it's priceless.

What Does the Doggie Say?

If you ask Beans what the doggie says she'll tell you, "arf arf arf." However, that answer would be wrong right now.

Jason and I are sitting back, enjoying some of the baby's bed time and suddenly we hear this noise. Like a guttural, deep, howl. We look at each other, perplexed. Then I say, "Sadie."

We go to check on her and she's just fine. I guess she thought a bellowing lullaby would be nice. I've never heard her make such a noise.

I guess tomorrow we'll have to teach Beans that the doggie says, "owuooooooogh, owoooooough!"

A Very Bean-y Christmas

Beans has experienced Christmas. And lucky for her, my mother-in-law does it like no one else. There's all out and then there's Caroline. It's the literal definition of awesome. Here are a few candid photos from the big day.

Beans going after the pimento cheese dip my uncle made. I don't like pimento cheese, but I love his. And Beans could not and would not stay out of it.

Beans with her "Me Mama" (my grandmama). They were both pretty pleased with the situation.

 

Beans speanding time with her Grundada and her Auntie Logie. Again, pretty pleased.

Beans checking out Aunt Stegie's cook book. That child loves food.

Munching on the new keys. Only thing better than keys... food.

What is she doing? Oh yeah. Going for the cheese... again.

It was warm and toasty here, so she came out of the pajamas. And ate some more food. This shot was taken not long after she literally ate face first out of my dad's hand. 

And this one wraps it up for now. A happy overwhelmed baby girl.

All in all it was a whirl wind of gifts, food, and family. I'm beat and tired, and would do it all again in a heart beat. But, I'll happily wait 364 days. No problem at all.

Who Throws a Shoe,... Seriously?

If you haven't heard, there was a man in Iraq that threw both of his shoes at President Bush. I love this story which can be read here (and in many other places if you google news results for "shoe"). 

I remember, several years ago, watching the statues of Saddam Hussein fall to the ground at the hands of the Iraqi peoples. I also remember seeing them hitting the statues with their shoes. A friend of mine thought it was particularly amusing and really enjoyed it when I explained why they were hitting the statues with shoes.

I spent part of my childhood in Egypt. I grew up knowing full well that you do not even show the bottom of your show to someone of Arab culture. It is worse to them than a middle finger in the States. It's bad. Seriously bad.

So, who throws a shoe, I ask. Someone who really does not like you. At all. Seriously.

Baby Update: My Tiny Tempest

We have entered a new phase. It's not really cute, it's a bit painful. To my ears mostly. At about 10 months, it turns out that babies go through this phase. Tantrums. It's not because she's a brat or mean, but because she's learning. She can't talk but has needs and desires and now better way to express them than screaming at the tops of her lungs.

When she wants up. Or to play with that thing. Or she wants out of the car seat mid-ride. Or she suddenly very hungry...

So what is one to do you ask? Don't give in. Wait out the screaming. The shrill, high-pitched, piercing screaming.

At least she looks funny when she's busting my ear drums. Parenthood.

Season's Greetings!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Green Sketches and Ham

Sometimes, I find awesomeness on the internet. I found this just now. If you were wondering where the adorable yet crazed-looking gingerbread man came from, here you go. His name is Greg Ham and he has a blog on Blogger too.

Gingerbread Man Time!

It's that time. I can bake my heart out and no one will question it. I'm a little hesitant to do it most of the year. I'm already a stay-at-home mum and housewife. Throwing in baking would be too much. 

But when it gets to be December, it's just good. People like to eat cookies and no one is going to make fun of me for baking them. And if they do, they get no cookie.

So what will I be baking this year... gingerbread cookies, shortbread cookies, "Christmas king cake", coconut pies, and whatever else strikes me!

Insomnia

It's the middle of the night. I am awake. It's cold. My child is asleep. My husband is asleep. Even the bear is asleep.

I would love to go to sleep. I love my bed. I hate lying awake in it. 

I am waiting until I am so tired that maybe, just maybe, I'll fall asleep when I get into bed.

I detest insomnia.

A Thousand Words

I really have been trying to think of something funny and smart to say about this picture. It's been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. This one must be priceless. I can't think a single word that needs to be said. Seriously. Look at that. What can be said about this photo that that facial expression doesn't already say. Time and date taken, and that's about it.

Baby Update: These Feet Were Made For Walking

As you may have read, yesterday was a day of painful recovery for Jason and me. There was, however, a brief moment, about 10 seconds, when I felt no pain. It was a beautiful moment of elation that removed Jason and me from our struggles with our bowels. 

Beans took three consecutive steps.

She hasn't done it since, but she's on her way to full, upright mobility. She again wanted something I was holding (in my sicken haze, I can't even remember what I was holding) and she took the little steps. One, two, three. It was amazing! 

Three small steps for baby, one giant leap for mummy's heart!

The Worst Is Over

Today is Thanksgiving. Today I am thankful that I could eat something more bulky than Gatorade and broth, albeit a delicious broth of chicken, ginger, and lemon.

If you're moderately sickened when it come to tales of illness, you should forego reading this post. Seriously. You should stop right here. Or back there at the period. Or at that last one or at the one coming up.

Beans had a stomach bug earlier this week. She actually threw up, not spit up, and has had booboorrhea, as we call it around here. Night before last she seemed to be feeling much better. Held down some bananas and applesauce and a bit or rice. Not a fan of it as it was not very flavourful. I should be particularly proud of my baby girl because she learned effortlessly to share. Yes, she gave Jason and me her bug. We spent the whole night taking turns on the toilet with a bucket.

The next day (yesterday) was awful. Poor Beans had to spend most of it playing in her play yard in the bend of our L-shaped couch or had to sit with us on the couch and cuddle, while Jason and I attempted to entertain her and recover. Luckily she was feeling better, but not well. She was moving a little slower than usual.

We had three heros come to our aid yesterday too. Our awesome friend Anh left orange Gatorade on our door step and Jason's parents left us formula for Beans. Jason wanted Gatorade (specifically orange) so badly that at 3am amidst the yaking he decided to go get some. It was a short lived venture as he had to run back to use the facilities before he even got out the front door. And of course in our condition yesterday, we'd have never made it out to get formula for the little girl.

But today is a better day. We woke up and we able to stand with no weak, achey knees, swerving stomachs, or pounding heads. Anh also came by to bring us food. We got some Thanksgiving dinner from the Truong family! It was so good. Seriously. The stuffing had sausage and apples in it! Not to mention Beans got to see her buddy and that always makes everyone happy.

Although it has been a small, uneventful turkey day, I am very thankful for many things on this day. My family's health, my in-laws, my wonderful friends, left-overs, and the simple fact that my knees aren't aching! Happy Thanksgiving to all!

How Could I Not?

As I was washing baby bottles today, I was looking at the violets in the window. Nearly two months ago Jason brought them in. They had sprouted as a weed in another flower's pot in our back yard. He brought them in in a spray paint can top. And there, in the window, they have sat for almost two months, blooming continually. 

Yes, they have been blooming for two months straight. It clicked that my husband doesn't have a green thumb or two, he has green hands. All out green hands. Maybe wrists too.

This was wonderful, but what really made me feel in complete awe of him was the empty dishwasher. I went to unload to find that it was unloaded. I should also mention that he got up with Beans last night to feed her and got up with her this morning and let me sleep in a much needed extra hour.

And then this evening, I was looking at my tired face in the bathroom mirror while I was running Bean's bath. I look tired. Rough. I'm in my mid twenties and I already have dark circles, bags, and wrinkles around my eyes. Just as I was feeling really bad, I remember the simple comment Jason had made about 15 minutes before. I was cleaning the dishes after dinner and he simply stated that I looked pretty.

How could I not adore this man?

Baby Update: First Step

I don't have picture to go with this, sorry. But I nearly passed out yesterday when Beans took a tiny step. It was little, but it was a step. 

I was holding a book and her baby powder and she wanted them, badly. So the left foot moved forward. Then the right foot came to meet the left. Then she of course grabbed the book and powder and plopped down.

Anh and I started clapping for Beans. Beans had no idea why we were clapping, she was just happy that we were.

Hooray for Beans and her first step.