Storytime

Little Miss loves books.  She has her favorites - The Little Engine that Could, The Snowy Day, Pancake Pancake, The Very Quiet Cricket, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  Lately, she's been "reading" by herself.  With some books, she knows portions by heart so she'll "read" the book from memory.  However, with some books, she is not familiar with the text so she'll make up the story based on the pictures.  Last night, we were lucky enough to snag it on video.  I'm not even sure what book it was, but I think it's a Poky Little Puppy pop-up book about Christmas based on the fact she mentions Santa and cookies and milk (and the beautiful puppy).  Enjoy!

Weekend Update - Our Big Girl

Last weekend was a busy one. We did as little as possible on Friday night. I made homemade pizza and went to bed early. Luckily, Husband cleaned up because I was really only interested in wine, pizza and bed - in that order. In case you were wondering Rex Goliath makes a super tasty Pinot Grigio. 

Anywhoo, on Saturday, Little Miss and I had a quiet morning and then the three of us went to Ikea.  It was a little overwhelming and Husband lost his patience, but we were successful in buying a big girl bed, mattress, and bedding.  Also, we bought Little Miss a treat for being a Big Girl.  She picked the bed.  It helped her embrace all the changes if she had some ownership in the decisions.  So, even though a little of me cried inside when she chose a bed that did not match the rest of her furniture, she was very happy.  I would have even been happy with the version of the bed that came in natural but she chose the blue.  The In-Laws came over for dinner for a belated Christmas exchange and dinner - also a guise under which to get Father-in-Law over to put together the new bed.  I wouldn't trust anything we put together for Little Miss.

On Saturday, Sister and Nephew came to pick us up. We did a quick lunch at McDonald's and went to Baltimore to Port Discovery. The kids had a blast. It was 3+ hours of running, climbing, drawing, and playing.

They loved the water room. They could discover what sank and what floated. They could play with boats, legos and other items in water. They could make a giant bubble around themselves and spray water to musical instruments to make noise. Unfortunately, my kid is the one who walked in front of the water. The museum supplied raincoats and crocs though (which my kid also didn't want to wear) and had a heat lamp and dryers before you left. Let's just say my kid was damp even after we got home, but she had a blast (and wore layers so she was only wet on the outside - it never went through the sweater).

The kids were exchausted when we left.  Little Miss fell asleep first after putting up a good fight.  I gave her permission to rest and, within seconds, she was out.  Nephew fought a little harder, but before long, both kids were out until we got home.  Our little troopers.

Because she was a Big Girl, Little Miss got to pick out a treat at Ikea. She wanted a tent. So, we bought her the little tent, and I put it together last night. She says she really likes it though she's yet to really be inside of it. It's really a coincidence that she has a hat on outside of the igloo. It's not that cold in our apartment.  Sunday night, Husband and I had a nice dinner and watched a movie. It was a nice cap to a busy weekend.

So, busy weekend, but we got through it. Little Miss has been great about the new bed. She also had to say goodbye to her pacifier. We had prepared her, but it was still a little rough. However, both nights she's been in her new bed, she hasn't gotten out once. She stalls, but she did that with her crib, but she'll stay in bed. She does like to climb out in the morning and did so on Sunday. Husband awoke to a little face next to his saying, "I awake, Daddy!"

Future on Wheel of Fortune/Jeopardy!

Category would be Before and After.

The answer would be:  Lead singer of matchbox twenty who is useful on the Island of Sodor. 

The question would be:  Rob Thomas the Tank Engine.

Little Miss and I were in the car listening to my iPod.  I had no tolerance for kid music today so I made her listen to my iPod on shuffle.  A Rob Thomas song came on, and she was listening.  She tilts her head and goes, "Mommy, who's this?"  I tell her Rob Thomas was singing.  She waits a beat and then says "Just like the train!"  I agreed to which she responded "I'm so smart."

The Difference Between Boys and Girls

Some of you read this on Facebook the other day.  For those who didn't, this was our conversation at the dinner table the other night.

Little Miss:  Daddy, you're a boy.  Mommy and me are Girls. 

We both nod at this.

Husband:  What's the difference between boys and girls?

Little Miss:  I don't know.  Tell me, Daddy.

Husband looks at me.

Me:  Tell her, Daddy. 

Husband:  Boys have a penis, and girls have a vagina.

This has been our answer to this recurring question.  At this stage, she seems to accept that answer without any follow-up questions.  So, she thinks about this information and then says:

Little Miss:  Boys are penises...

I laughed and couldn't disagree, but I did set her straight.  I mean, come on, sometimes, boys are penises.  She is a wise one.

(NOTE:  You should be able to click on the photo to enlarge it if you have trouble reading it.)

What I've Been Cooking Lately

2011 is my year to try new recipes.  The first thing you have to know is that I follow recipes.  I'm not an cook that cooks with instinct.  I can't put my own spin on things.  Husband is more like that than I.  He'll research recipes and then whip up his own creation.  I like a list and instructions.  Anyway, I've tried a handful of new recipes that have worked and hope to keep the trend up.

First, I baked cupcakes for the first time.  OK, they were from a box, but I've never done it before so it counts as something new.  Plus, Little Miss thought I was a superhero practically for making them.

Second, I made Honey-Teriyaki Chicken (photo above) with Snow Peas with Toasted Almonds. I actually made this twice.  It came out different both times.  Basically, the second time, it was less sweet.  Plus, the second time, I burned my almonds and added the lemon juice.  I think I liked it better the first time with no burned almonds and no lemon juice.  Of course, the time I burned the almonds was when I was cooking for a friend and not just myself.

Third, I made Tomatoes Provencal. These were pretty good. The lemon zest was strong, and I didn't even put the whole amount into the dish. Still, it wasn't bad, added a bit of freshness. I made these for friends, and we ate them with steak and potatoes and they were a perfect light side dish. They do not heat up as well unless you rebake, but the tomato moisture gets absorbed into the breadcrumbs. 

Snow Peas with Toasted Almonds
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 pound snow peas, trimmed
2 teaspoons minced shallot
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Melt butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Add almonds and cook until golden and fragrant and butter begins to brown, stirring frequently, about 11/2 minutes. Add snow peas and shallot; sauté until snow peas are crisp-tender, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; add lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and serve.

Honey-Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients:
1/2 cup honey

2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds total)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a large bowl, mix honey, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat. Transfer chicken and sauce to baking sheet.


Bake chicken, skin side up, basting occasionally with pan juices, until well browned and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve chicken drizzled with pan juices.


Tomatoes Provencal
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups fresh plain breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
Leaves from a few sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 large tomatoes cut into 1/2-inch slices

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a 2-quart baking dish. In a bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups fresh plain breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup grated Parmesan, 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, leaves from a few sprigs fresh thyme and 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; season with coarse salt and ground pepper.


Arrange 4 large tomatoes cut into 1/2-inch slices, in prepared baking dish, overlapping slightly; season with salt and pepper. Top with breadcrumb mixture. Bake until tomatoes are tender and crumbs are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

I will say that I used a 3-quart glass dish and lined with foil.  Also, I baked for the allotted time and then put it under the broiler for a few minutes until browned.  I think I'd rather some more thyme. 

Movies Watched in December 2010

1. When in Rome
2. The Social Network
3. Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Books Read in December 2010

1. The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
2. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
3. Beastly by Alex Flinn
4. Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume by a variety of authors
5. A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas (NOTE: This is part of the Wallflower series. Details can be found here, but the order is Secrets of a Summer Night, It Happened One Autumn, The Devil in Winter and Scandal in Spring.)
6. Rough Riders series by Lorelei James (NOTE: The order of the series can be found here.)

I actually have had A Wallflowers Christmas forever, and I thought it would be nice to read during the holidays. It was quite cute. A word of note that the last series listed is erotica so don't go checking it out if you're not into that type of thing. It's extremely graphic. If you do like that sort of thing, it was well done for the genre. There was an actual storyline with a touch of romance.

Weekend Updates - What I Haven't Blogged About

Let's see... Christmas was great. We spent it in western Maryland with the parents, aunt and uncle, cousins, sister and nephew. Little Miss had a blast skiing and, of course, she loved the deluge of presents. The week of Christmas, Husband started to have pain and was sick to his stomach. He made an appointment for after Christmas and mostly suffered through the holiday.


For New Year's Eve, we had some friends over and mostly hung out and watched movies. Then, the following Monday, Husband had his gall bladder out. It was a speedy recovery, but it did take a full week during which time he couldn't pick up Little Miss which made her sad, but she was very understanding and gentle with him.


Husband has been joyfully following the New York Jets. So, while he was recovering, he left the house for the first time and went to a local bar to watch the game while Sister-in-Law and the little nephew came to visit Little Miss and me. It was nice to see him after such a long time.


Then, last weekend, Husband went to Vegas. On Saturday, Little Miss spent a couple of hours with her grandparents while I went to lunch with a friend and Sister-in-Law to Chick-Fil-A. Then, we went to see Black Swan. Later, my friend came over and we had dinner and watched Howl. On Sunday, my friends came over to watch the Golden Globes and we had dinner and popcorn. It was a good weekend.


Today, there was an ice storm overnight so Little Miss had no school. She stayed home with Husband, and last I heard, was having a good day with him. Hopefully, now we can get on with the daily routine of life and hope 2011 gets a little more relaxing (though I don't see that happening).

Our Little Skier

In the above video, Little Miss put her skis on for the very first time. She did great! If anything, I think the helmet weighed her down or at least threw off her sense of balance. We only stayed out a short time and stopped when she wasn't having fun anymore (coincidentally right after she fell).  My dad spent time with her and we all went out to watch (Husband, Mom, Aunt and Uncle).  She'll be zooming down the hill in no time!

Christmas Concert

Little Miss had her first Christmas concert at school. It seemed like the longest morning ever and we were home by 10AM. We got to school so Little Miss could be fitted with wings and a halo.  Then, we all took our seats.  Both sets of grandparents were there as well as her cousin.  The 4-year-olds performed the Nativity.  The little ones were seated along the front of the stage.  The photo below is when Little Miss realized we were seated right behind her.  After, the 3-year-olds took the stage.  They sang a couple of songs.  Little Miss was in the back so it was very difficult to see her.  We all retreated to the classroom where the kids got a snack and we watched a video of the school year up to this point.  It was a lot of fun and really adorable to see the kids perform.

O, (Little) Christmas Tree

As I mentioned before, Little Miss wanted her own Christmas tree.  Well, we finally decorated it.  It is above.  She was truly upset that it had no star so this week, she colored some paper, I cut it into the shape of a star and affixed it to the top of her tree.  She was so thrilled.


Last week, we finally got around to decorating our big tree.  I gave a shopping bag of 3-4 ornaments and told Little Miss to put the bag of ornaments on the tree.  She had been putting ornaments on her tree so I knew she was capable of hanging ornaments from the tree.  I turned the corner and saw the sight below:

I can't complain. She did exactly as she was asked.

Weekend Update - December

I've been bad about the weekend updates.  During the second week in December, we hit a snag with our lights so the tree that we got in November still wasn't decorated.  So, the second week in December was spent trying to get lights to no avail.  Little Miss and I spent the weekend running errands and using every bathroom in northern Virginia. Small child = small bladder. Then, a friend and I went to see The Social Network. It was a fun evening.


Last weekend, Little Miss and I ran some errands including the library. She loves books and her favorites are any book about Max and Ruby. I believe she thinks the library is just filled with Max and Ruby books. It's been a fun month. The two of us have spent a lot of time together, and this month, she's become much more talkative and even more outgoing than usual. It's nice to see. (Don't get me wrong, she's still unbelievable independent - read as stubborn - but she can be really sweet on occasion.)

Mint-Chocolate Brownies

I made these Mint-Chocolate Brownies last night. Most of the ingredients I had already except the chocolate. Yes, I even had the peppermint patties. Anyway, the recipe is very easy. The trick is to wait an obscene amount of time for the brownies to cool. The first time I did not do this and the peppermint patties ooze all over the place. Last night, I cooled for maybe an hour and the middles were still warm, but I had to go to bed. Also, it calls for 25 mini peppermint patties. I've never made this with more than 18-20 and even with 20, I had to squeeze them in there. They came out pretty moist and delicious if I do say so myself.


Mint-Chocolate Brownies


Ingredients:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
25 small (1 1/2 inch) peppermint patties


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on all sides; butter foil. Set aside.
2. Place chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of gently simmering water. Stir occasionally just until melted, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat. Whisk in sugar and salt until smooth; whisk in eggs. Gently whisk in flour and cocoa powder just until smooth (do not overmix).
4. Spread 1/3 of batter in prepared pan. Arrange peppermint patties on batter in a single layer, leaving a narrow border on all sides. Top with remaining batter, and smooth surface. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 45 to 55 minutes.
5. Cool completely in pan. Use foil to lift from pan; peel off foil and discard. Cut into 16 squares (4 rows by 4 rows).

Jingle Bells

Little Miss has been practicing some songs for her winter concert at school next week. She's been singing Jingle Bells, Silent Night, and This Little Light of Mine. Jingle Bells is the one she knows the best and sings the most. So, last night, she was cooperative enough to sing it for my camera.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I know it's after Thanksgiving, but I didn't make this discovery until Thanksgiving. We talked a lot about Thanksgiving before the holiday, but you don't wish people a Happy Thanksgiving until that day and the day is crazy and flies by so quickly. Little Miss has totally been switching her compound words around. She always had words that were tricky for her (like banana and doggy), but she corrects herself over time. That is why I had to video tape her (hm, record her, I guess as there's no actual video tape involved) because, by next year, her speech will probably correct itself. Anyway, without further ado, below is a video of Little Miss saying "Happy Thanksgiving" her way.

Our #1 Problem was #2

As I mentioned, Little Miss potty-trained pretty much overnight.  However, she she had some hesitation with the poo.  She would try, but she would cry and carry on and will herself not to go.  The pediatrician suggested mineral oil to make it easier and, if it was easier, she would be more likely to go.  So, we did that for awhile (and still do).  So, after a couple of weeks, she would go on the potty (as opposed to her pants or in a pull-up), but she would still cry.  During her well-child check up, the doctor said it was perfectly natural especially because she trained so early.  She was more surprised that this was the only issue we've had.  So, we tried to be patient.  As one of our techniques, we created a sticker chart.  She liked the positive reinforcement and, to a lesser extent, a goal.  If she received 10 stickers, she could pick a present.  10 was an even number, but it was also a good way to create a habit of going and not just a phase.  And, in the last 2 weeks, she stopped crying, has no hesitation going at home or in public.  So, on Saturday, we went to the toy store, and she got to pick out a present. 

She first was a little overwhelmed by the toy store (as was I).  Then, she picked a train which wasn't that expensive.  She then saw a train puzzle and put back the train, but I told her she could have both if she wanted.  She ended up getting both and a flashlight.  I kept telling her that they were presents for finishing her sticker chart.  She is still getting stickers if she wants them, but there won't be anymore presents.  The sticker chart still resides on the bathroom door.  She points to it proudly every so often, and she does like to tell people she poos on the potty.  It's nice that she's proud of herself though a little embarrassing that she overshares. 

Weekend Update - 'Tis the Season

Last weekend, Little Miss was a little under the weather, and we pushed her hard. On Saturday, we took portraits with her little cousin. It went relatively well. She gets tired waiting for the proofs and sitting through lunch. She also got to go to the toy store. She fell asleep on the way, but I woke her up because I promised her we'd go. She perked up in the store and then went home for a nap.  I actually had to wake her up after her nap on Saturday because I didn't want her to sleep through dinner or not sleep through the night. She woke up and cuddled (her sign that she's sick). She did eat dinner and pretty much went right to sleep.

On Sunday, we woke up early to go to Breakfast with Santa. Little Miss was a bit sluggish and still not feeling well, but she did perk up once we got there. She split my pancake plate and, I'll admit, she ate most of it. She was really good with Santa and chatted quite a bit with him and Mrs. Claus. I painted her nails dark purple and she showed them off and asked for "presents". She didn't get specific yet so her wants are still attainable. Santa can definitely bring her "presents".

After Breakfast with Santa, she asked to go home and rest. We were supposed to go to a Baby Shower, but Little Miss woke up choking a little from her cold and it panicked her. So, we cuddled some more while she slept for another 2 hours. She woke up a whole new and healthy kid though. I think she felt much better because she managed to give her germs to Husband and me (though he contracted this round of sickness more than I did, but it is his turn). The evening brought dinner, coloring, and a bath. No big plans this week or next weekend though she asked to go back to the library next weekend for more Max and Ruby books so we'll do that. All pictures are from Breakfast with Santa.

Books Read in November 2010

1. Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb (NOTE: This is part of the Eve/Roarke In Death series. The order can be found here.)
2. Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts (NOTE: This is part of the Brides quartet. The order can be found here.)
3. Nice Girls Don't by Anne O'Connell

I read all of these books in the early part of the month. The later part of the month and the beginning of next month is all book club. This month's book club book is a long one.

Also, a word of note that the last book listed is erotica so don't go checking it out if you're not into that type of thing. It's extremely graphic. If you do like that sort of thing, it was well done for the genre. There was an actual storyline with a touch of romance. I read a few other short stories of the genre which weren't worth listing and didn't even make the calendar in which I record all this information.

I'm hoping to read more next month when I finish the book club book.

Movies Watched in November 2010

1. Due Date
2. The Girl Who Played with Fire
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

Weekend Update - O Christmas Tree

Last Friday, Little Miss had a restless night which resulted in the two of us sleeping on the couch. We had grand plans to get up early and go to the tree farm. So, we all overslept. We did eventually get up and go to our annual breakfast at IHOP before driving to the tree farm to pick out our tree. We found a tree quickly last year, but it took us awhile this year. It is a nice tree though. Little Miss had a visit with some horses. She looks forward to the horses every year. Last year, a horse kissed her, but this year, she escaped the kissing. We brought our tree home and had leftovers for dinner. I also did some minor decorating for Christmas. It's a small place so I usually just put up some accents instead of making the place look like Christmas threw up all over it.


On Saturday, Little Miss slept in which was a nice treat. We then got up and went to the playground and the library. She took a much-needed nap when we got home and that was pretty much the day once you calculated in bath and bed.


On Sunday, Husband woke up and made Little Miss pancakes. I had one as well before meeting a friend to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. It was a nice afternoon and a great movie.


I forgot! When Husband went to replace our Christmas lights last week, Little Miss wanted red lights. It was all she would think and talk about. Then, at the tree farm, she wanted a Little Miss-size sapling as our tree. So, we bought her a tree just for her room. It is a table top tree that we decorated with red lights and a few stray ornaments. I wrapped dish towels around the base to be a tree skirt and some gold garland that I used to use as table decoration. She loves it.