I seem to always be writing about funny things Amelia says. Oh well. It's not like I live an exceptionally exciting life.
Today's word of the day: smokerette
Usage: "There's a smokerette on the grass."
I guess I'll be picking up cigarette butts later today.
Heidi sneezed a couple of days ago and then very clearly said "Excuse me." Even Amelia heard it.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Funny things Amelia says...
"You bought yourself new sunglasses. You're a lucky girl."
Oh, and peek-a-boo is a totally underrated game. I could play it with Heidi for hours.
Oh, and peek-a-boo is a totally underrated game. I could play it with Heidi for hours.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Introduction to our Food Issues
I love to cook and I love to try out new recipes. When my now three-year old daughter started showing signs of food allergies and sensitivities, you would think I’d have had an easy time adjusting to dietary changes. Not so. I was overwhelmed by all the sudden restrictions that were placed on not only my daughter's diet, but our whole household as well.
We became militant label-readers. We had to avoid all sugars, yeast, dairy, and eggs, and limit wheat. After a few stressful trips to the grocery store ("There's sugar in THAT?"), I finally decided that fresh vegetables and homemade snacks were the only way to go. I started baking with different types of flour, using natural sugar alternatives, and playing with egg substitutes.
The hardest meal I found dealing with was breakfast. Have you read the labels on breakfast cereals lately? I can't even pronounce most of what's on there. And, even in the "healthy" cereal options, sugar is most often the second ingredient. The days of toast and jam or a bowl of boxed cereal were over. I began serving steel-cut oats, teff, and buckwheat pancakes, rice pudding made with coconut milk, and millet porridge.
For snacks, I puree roasted peppers or add dried herbs to olive oil and lemon juice to create healthy dips to make veggies more enticing. My daughter also likes roasted, spiced chickpeas or rice cakes with sunflower butter.
When living with food intolerances, there are options out there, you just have to be open to a little experimentation and imagination! For us, things got easier, a routine was developed. And, within 2 months of changing the way we ate, my daughter's condition improved dramatically, and we all felt a lot healthier.
We became militant label-readers. We had to avoid all sugars, yeast, dairy, and eggs, and limit wheat. After a few stressful trips to the grocery store ("There's sugar in THAT?"), I finally decided that fresh vegetables and homemade snacks were the only way to go. I started baking with different types of flour, using natural sugar alternatives, and playing with egg substitutes.
The hardest meal I found dealing with was breakfast. Have you read the labels on breakfast cereals lately? I can't even pronounce most of what's on there. And, even in the "healthy" cereal options, sugar is most often the second ingredient. The days of toast and jam or a bowl of boxed cereal were over. I began serving steel-cut oats, teff, and buckwheat pancakes, rice pudding made with coconut milk, and millet porridge.
For snacks, I puree roasted peppers or add dried herbs to olive oil and lemon juice to create healthy dips to make veggies more enticing. My daughter also likes roasted, spiced chickpeas or rice cakes with sunflower butter.
When living with food intolerances, there are options out there, you just have to be open to a little experimentation and imagination! For us, things got easier, a routine was developed. And, within 2 months of changing the way we ate, my daughter's condition improved dramatically, and we all felt a lot healthier.
New cards
I actually did have some time this afternoon to make some cards. The first is for my next-door neighbour and Amelia's best friend, River, who turns 4 on Thursday. All the stamps are from the stash I made at a play date with a good friend a couple of months ago.
Then, I got a headstart on Mother's Day. I got to use my beautiful new paper on cards for my Mom and Kendrick's Mom. The first one is for my Mom and the second is for my mother-in-law.
I'm already looking forward to my next hour of free time.
I'm already looking forward to my next hour of free time.
Happy Easter!
Well today has been a much better day (so far). Amelia enjoyed her Easter egg hunt. I filled some plastic eggs with stamps, ink, stickers, chapstick, and foam letters. So much better than candy. She spent a good hour quietly playing with her loot rather than eating chocolate and bouncing off the walls. I'm going to continue the tradition of plastic eggs and no chocolate, even when it gets to the point when Amelia can eat sugar again.
Heidi is officially walking now. She took her first steps last week, but they were wobbling, lunging steps. Now she quite confidently walks about 5 steps, stops, continues walking, and then sits down. I guess this means I'll have to talk baby-proofing to the next level.
Heidi is so much fun. She loves playing peek-a-boo... even with Artemis. It's hilarious!
Amelia is verbalizing and using grammar so well suddenly. Today when we were playing "shopping", she said, "I bought that butter yesterday and it said it didn't need to be refrigerated." Huh? Where did you learn that? I find language development so interesting! Obviously, considering my background. She was so slow to start, but she has really advanced over the winter.
So that's it for now. I must get the house organized for tomorrow's Easter dinner and then hopefully I'll have a couple of hours to make some cards or something while Amelia is at Granny's.
Heidi is officially walking now. She took her first steps last week, but they were wobbling, lunging steps. Now she quite confidently walks about 5 steps, stops, continues walking, and then sits down. I guess this means I'll have to talk baby-proofing to the next level.
Heidi is so much fun. She loves playing peek-a-boo... even with Artemis. It's hilarious!
Amelia is verbalizing and using grammar so well suddenly. Today when we were playing "shopping", she said, "I bought that butter yesterday and it said it didn't need to be refrigerated." Huh? Where did you learn that? I find language development so interesting! Obviously, considering my background. She was so slow to start, but she has really advanced over the winter.
So that's it for now. I must get the house organized for tomorrow's Easter dinner and then hopefully I'll have a couple of hours to make some cards or something while Amelia is at Granny's.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Terrible threes?
Wow. Nothing like being apologized to for being bitten, only to be bitten again before the whole apology is out. Today is not a good day.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
New blog!
I'm so new to this whole blog-thing and I've already been asked to be a regular contributor to a food-related blog. How excited am I?! Now to start thinking of topics.... I'm not so much of a "foodie" since the kids arrived. I still am at heart, but I just don't have the time like I used to. Plus, inviting friends over becomes such a hassle now. I have to worry about the state of home, a menu that is food-allergy friendly, and working things around nap-times and bedtimes and tantrum-times. I love entertaining and I love my friends, but it's just not worth the stress!
I'm planning to focus my contributions on eating naturally, dealing with food allergies, creating kid-friendly meals, and joining a local CSA. We shall see how it goes. I'm also hoping to maybe snag some freebies out of it since it is the blog for a highly-rated, nationally-syndicated TV show. Maybe we'll get some free cow out of it... :-)
I'm planning to focus my contributions on eating naturally, dealing with food allergies, creating kid-friendly meals, and joining a local CSA. We shall see how it goes. I'm also hoping to maybe snag some freebies out of it since it is the blog for a highly-rated, nationally-syndicated TV show. Maybe we'll get some free cow out of it... :-)
Monday, April 6, 2009
Happy Birthday, Monkey!
Three years ago today:
Wow, it's been 3 long, wonderful years. I say long, but they've also gone by so quickly too, if that makes any sense at all. We've definitely had our issues (ummm... no sleep, allergies, no sleep, food sensitivities, no sleep), and it's been a difficult road to navigate, but I have grown so much having this little girl in my life. I have had to give up or change so many aspects of my life, but in exchange I got this beautiful child that thinks I am the world. What could be better than that?
So a big happy Birthday to my Monkey! Time sure has flown by. Sniff.
- my life suddenly and completely changed.
- instead of discovering how amazing child-birth can be, I discovered my body doesn't work as it's supposed to.
- I was lying on an operating table, thinking how surreal it all was.
- at 21:45, I birthed the most beautiful, smart, and spirited baby girl.
Wow, it's been 3 long, wonderful years. I say long, but they've also gone by so quickly too, if that makes any sense at all. We've definitely had our issues (ummm... no sleep, allergies, no sleep, food sensitivities, no sleep), and it's been a difficult road to navigate, but I have grown so much having this little girl in my life. I have had to give up or change so many aspects of my life, but in exchange I got this beautiful child that thinks I am the world. What could be better than that?
So a big happy Birthday to my Monkey! Time sure has flown by. Sniff.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Whiny, whiny, whiny
My god, Amelia has gotten so whiny! She talks in a whiny voice constantly. Even simple statements become whines: "I have my shoes on." Seriously, enough! I pretend I don't understand what she's saying whenever she whines and she usually immediately changes her tone. Hopefully this is a short phase.
Amelia's third birthday is on Monday. I am very anti-big plastic things, but we had to buy her this cash register/check-out setup. It's huge, and it's ugly, but she will love it. She forces us to play "payer" All. The. Time. so this is perfect. She's hilarious to play with because she takes her cashier job so seriously: always says "have a good day!" At least I know that my good manners are rubbing off on her. Of course this new setup will force us to play "payer" even more. What were we thinking?
Heidi is so smart. She's got the waving thing down pat. We say "hi Heidi" and she starts waving. She also high-fives on cue. Amelia never did that sort of thing. The only thing she's still not responding to is sign language. I think she'll be verbal sooner than Amelia though, so sign language may not be as necessary. Time will tell.
Amelia's third birthday is on Monday. I am very anti-big plastic things, but we had to buy her this cash register/check-out setup. It's huge, and it's ugly, but she will love it. She forces us to play "payer" All. The. Time. so this is perfect. She's hilarious to play with because she takes her cashier job so seriously: always says "have a good day!" At least I know that my good manners are rubbing off on her. Of course this new setup will force us to play "payer" even more. What were we thinking?
Heidi is so smart. She's got the waving thing down pat. We say "hi Heidi" and she starts waving. She also high-fives on cue. Amelia never did that sort of thing. The only thing she's still not responding to is sign language. I think she'll be verbal sooner than Amelia though, so sign language may not be as necessary. Time will tell.
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