Big bath boy

I'm sitting here with D during a major high-water bath time and feeling nostalgic about this familiar and changing scene. Just yesterday I was thinking about how David will almost be 3 and Judah 1 by the 4th of July this year. We're planning a trip to see family and friends in Nashville then. So many things, including the faces and skills of our boys, will be changed by then. Baby Olyvia Joy will be about 5 months old and making her mommy smile with hers. Seale, Cayte's sister will be anxiously awaiting the delivery of her first baby. Clare Weaver will no longer be a weaver but a Hendershot. Clair Lee will know the gender of her second baby, entering the world just a month from then. A dear friend I love but hate to see suffer will be refined and renewed. I won't be pregnant or caring for a breastfeed baby. And I will have finally experienced the cuteness of my little niece Aubrey as well as the grown-up & tested patience of my little sister, her mother.

I'm eager to cherish a one year old who drinks milk from a sippy cup and a 3 year old who sleeps in a race car twin bed. But thankfully till then, I can enjoy the littleness of now, during a whole lotta bath times. Oh darn, we don't bathe very much around here. Well then, I'll have to engage my cherishing during bed time reading and singing.

New box of clothes photo shoot

Watch out ladies, I think we've got a cutie pie on our hands. Opened the size 9 mo. box of clothes today and really diggin' this look.

Parrot Parfait

Since using the Deceptively Delicious cookbook, I started hiding vegetable purées in food at will. David seemed to love carrot purée with applesauce, and as a anti-veg man that was great. Now, in making baby food I took the carrot + apple purée combination a step further. By changing the base from apple to pear purée, I created what I've decided to call, 'Parrot Sauce'.

Parrot Sauce

3-4 pears mostly peeled and cored
2 apples mostly peeled and cored
5-7 carrots mostly peeled

Bake in 2 inches of water in a small ditch oven or covered baking dish at 350. I'm not entirely sure about baking time, so check periodically for 1 hour.

Let cook and then purée and pour into empty applesauce jar.

The nice thing about Parrot Sauce is that everyone in the family can enjoy it. Top with plain yogurt and granola and you'll be eating the same thing I do most mornings. If you're looking to make your own granola, first of all good for you, I'd recommend my friend Hana's blog Sweet Mama Zog for recipes - I believe this is her maple granola featured in the photo. 

Sweet & spicy vegetable soup

This soup is tasty and according to the friend that shared it with me, no points on weight watchers! Even Tripp agrees, it's delicious.

You'll need:

About 3 cups V8
1 large can crushed tomatoes
3/4 of 1 box of beef stock
1 can spicy chili beans
1/2 c. brown sugar
4 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste

1 head of cabbage rough chopped
2 cups kale chopped
1 onion chopped
4 stalks celery rough chopped
1 cup chopped carrots

In a soup pan or Dutch oven, sauté onion, celery and carrot for 5 minutes in olive oil then add in all remaining vegetables. Add beef stock and cook down about 5 min, add everything else and cook till soft.