The Cake I Made for Matthew*

*With creative and practical help from Michael's mom and sisters.

For months, he requested a Curious George cake and so that is what he got.....

In This Economy

Even superheroes need a second job...

Curly Girly

It starts young

Matthew met a little girl at the park who is probably 9.

First question out of his mouth: "what's your phone number?"

Say "Cheese!"

Matthew's Drawings

Matthew loves to draw but rarely gets an opportunity because whenever he gets a writing utensil of any sort in his hand, it will inevitably end up in places it doesn't belong (like the time he took a dry erase marker and covered at least 10 different surfaces including my computer, the large mirror in the front room, bookshelves, underneath coasters,etc). But when he does, he's actually quite good.

This little character is pretty cute. I don't know what it is exactly, but I could see him developing him into some sort of recurring cartoon figure.

This one, Matthew is standing in front of a car wash. A little less artistic than his other renditions of the car wash, but even artists have their off days.

This is Matthew's rendition of his mother. Flattering, I think.

Photo Booth

This is a Post about Bathroom Stuff

I am sorry.
I shouldn't be posting about bathroom related stuff, but I don't want to forget this because it's so funny to me. It actually is a regular occurrence in our house.

So Michael was taking care of his business and when he was done, he called Matthew in.

Apparently for an inspection.

"That's pretty nice!" Matthew exclaimed.

"Yeah!" Michael agreed. "It looks like _______." (I'm sparing you the details of what food item Michael described. It doesn't matter. That any food was discernible is a little stomach turning. I'll do my best not to put a specific image in your mind.)

"Good job, Buddy!" Matthew lauded while patting Michael on the back.

"Yeah! That was a good job!"

Thus, chronicles another chapter of Michael and Matthew, PI. (Poop Inspectors).

Somebody's Watching Me

I was flipping through my camera phone and saw this. Forensic evidence suggests it was taken by someone about 3 feet tall....

Layers

My new favorite afternoon pick-me-up: iced coffee.

Last week I bought a large catering size pack of coffee for a class I taught on a Saturday. I overestimated their like of coffee a bit and ended up with two huge containers of delicious yet too-expensive-to-toss coffee. So, I made room in my fridge and invested in some Half and Half and some sweet and condensed milk, and at any given moment am only one minute away from iced coffee. No brewing, no cooling. Just pour, sweeten and let the caffeine flow.

I love the brown on top, the creamy middle and the bottom coat of Sweet and Condensed milk at the bottom. Swirl it around with a fun straw and I can enjoy a little taste of happy!

Gimme a Push!

Naturally.

"You Powered Down That Whole Bowl?"

Michael loves snack time. He LIVES for snack time. Even if it's just half an hour after he ate a substantial lunch, the questions start coming, "Is it snack time yet?"

I am pretty good about keeping the snacks healthy. One carb (crackers or novelty chip from Trader Joe's which is usually made with lentil or some nonsense) and then fruit for any other snacks.  

Today, I gave him his snack of white cheddar puffs. He really likes it and was apparently very hungry today because just a few minutes after I gave it to him, he came to me with this face asking for more:

Me: "You powered down that whole bowl already"

Michael: "Yup. I sure know how to power it down!"

Daddy's Girl

Backward and Forward

Big Girl Bath

Michael's Church

And, astonishingly, even more normal than some real churches I have seen.

Also, we go to church in a helicopter.

My Handsome Boy

....who got into a blue stamp pad...

One. Two. Three

Baby's First Foods

Tomorrow (Sunday) Molly gets her first taste of real food. 

I hope it goes better than her first taste of medicine, which, despite the bubble-gummy goodness (?) of pink amoxicillan (thanks baby's first ear infection!), did not go (has not been going) so well.

On the menu: Pears!

I'm mostly convinced my doctor does not agree with feeding the baby pears first. I'm thinking it has to do with the commonly held belief that the baby will get spoiled by sweet foods that she will not want to eat the more bland/more nutritious-tasting flavors of rice cereal or vegetables.

I haven't experienced this problem with either of the two boys yet.  I guess, I'm just of the philosophy that I'd like to get her interested in actually eating and swallowing food than I am concerned about her actually eating it for nutrients.

This goes along with what I've read that table food in the first year really is more "for fun" anyways since either nursing or bottle will supply all their real nutrients.

I smirk when I hear this because feeding a baby is quite disproportionate in the hassle-fun ratios.

Admittedly, it is neat to take these first steps, but feeding a baby table foods is stacks of work. Prepping it, convincing the baby to take it, getting a small fraction in her mouth, then the clean up afterwards.  The first time doing it is "fun" but the reaction of the baby is not nearly terribly rewarding. It's not like I've ever gotten the expression on the baby's face, "HMMM! This is EXACTLY the taste I was hungry for! I've been waiting for this exact experience to happen to me! I've been so tired of the same old menu up to this point. THANK YOU!"

My boys so far haven't really reacted at all. They aren't happy, they aren't mad, they just experience it.  So the parents are all happy and hyped up with video cameras rolling and all this to do, and the baby is just like, "Ok. Yes, I will sit here while food is placed on in my mouth. I will lick my lips, not because I like it but because I always do things with my mouth because it's the one part of my body I really can control well. This sensation that is happening to me when I lick my lips is an experience. I don't know how to categorize this experience so I will continue to stare blankly ahead while more of my random lip smacking distributes this substance all over my face/chair/bib/back of head/etc.

It's really the 10 month feeding stage that gets more interesting, convenient and not totally disproportionately a hassle. The kids can pick up their own food and shovel it into their mouths, they seem to demonstrate preferences, and it does seem like they are eating to eat and not just to have another experience.  In other words, a hungry 10 month old can eat table food and feel full. A hungry 6 month has very little remedy from a 2 oz serving a watery pears.

 Despite my somewhat dry tone, I am looking forward to tomorrow and will surely give you plenty of pictures to document our adventure in solids.  I'm looking forward to having Molly join us at the table because I look forward to looking around at the table and seeing yet another smiling face join us.  I'm looking forward to this sort of unofficial beginning of the non-grub phase of Molly's life. 6 months old is a 

Seriously?

Would you like it if I took pictures of you first thing in the morning?

Destiny

With the roles of Batman and Robin already cast, Molly doesn't put up a fight and instead embraces her future as the Joker.

Medium and Small

Swing