Why not?

Did you notice the dates?
I may be slightly crazy, but I'm having a blast planning parties for my birthday boys.
But due to a planned camping trip for the following weekend, we couldn't spread out the birthday love.
In fact we're celebrating Calvin's birthday on Marvin's birthday. I love that all my boys have birthday so close together.
Hooray, Birthday week is quickly approaching. I have so much to do!

Eleven

Micah's one month shy of a year, somebody please help me stop time! My baby is turning into a toddler. I'm going to savor this last month I have while Micah's still zero, in Calvin's words.

He's such a curious little guy, and he certainly keeps me on my toes. This past month he's figured out how to climb stairs and it's one of his favorite activities.


He's outsmarted our "gates" and figured out how to climb on top of our barriers. He can open the doors to our balcony if they aren't latched, and our trashcan has found a new home on top of our counter.

Micah's started to enjoy playing with cars, which his brother loves.


We get many more smiles out of him in our quiet home but is very stone faced around lots of people and out in public places. Since his brother started school he started jabbering up a storm, I guess he just needed a chance to talk.

He says Mama and some rendition of more. He'll sign please, more and all done. He also started waving bye-bye.


He has 6 teeth, with one more almost through the surface. I've given up on our little finger toothbrush and now use a regular brush with him. I love how he giggles as I brush his teeth and gums.

He's been very fussy this month with both a cold and new teeth coming in. He's spent lots of time in my arms and in the Ergo while I do housework. My squirmy guy loves snuggles throughout the day despite how active he is.


Sleeping has been challenging this month. He's been waking up often during the night. Many times not going back to sleep for several hours, with lots of crying which is the worst in the middle of the night. It's been an exhausting month; I'm ready for these teeth to make their debut.

Our bed is his favorite place to play, EVER. I love watching him smile as he crawls away. He loves lying in the pillows too, and then he'll come and tackle you with his kisses.


He's also started doing a little pouting. I'm sure I won't love it in a few months but right now it's pretty cute. When I take something away or tell him no, he puts on his pouty face and lays his head on the ground. He has a pretty tender heart and a simple no can bring tears of disappointment.

Our little chunker is now 23.4 lbs and is growing like a weed, he's currently is ##inches. I had to break out his 18 month clothes due to needing a few warmer options and some pjs that fit him better, I'm amazed at how well some of the things fit him.

My current favorite veggie

Growing up I don't ever remember a time where I actually ate eggplant. The first time I ever tasted this vegetable was at Olive Garden and it had me at hello. For some reason I just love this vegetable, maybe it's the intriguing purple color or the deep nutty flavor. I've had so many yummy Turkish eggplant dishes over the years, but haven't recreated them myself. So cooking with eggplant is new terrain. A month ago I discovered this amazing roasted vegetable dip/sauce. It's so delicious, and it's ridiculously easy.

Here's my take on my current obsession: (Warning, if you want a real recipe you might as well stop reading, this is a "throw this and that in" type of recipe. Sorry mom.)


You'll need a 9x13 pyrex, or something with decent sides.


Here it goes…

Roasted Veggie Dip/Sauce

Peel a few eggplants, I usually do about 3-4 medium ones.
Now cube the eggplant.
Wedge a few tomatoes(2-3),
Dice up a red bell pepper or two,
Add about 4-5 whole cloves of garlic,
And drizzle with olive oil.
**If you love spice why not add a cut up spicy pepper to the pan to give this some kick.

Stir the oil around your veggies
Pop it in the oven, let's say at 350 degrees.
After about 15 minutes give it a good stir.
Add some more olive oil if you feel it's dry.


Let it roast another 15 minutes in the oven.
If your eggplant is nice and soft it's done, if it's still hard roast it longer.


Toss all your delicious roasted veggies into a pot; add a little tomato paste (maybe ¼ c.) and using an immersion blender and blend away. You could also use your blender or food processor. Add salt to taste and enjoy.


It's great over bread, over pasta or rice. We even put it over the roast I made last week. I love it and hope you do too.

First Day

Ready to go.

Calvin was thrilled to go to Detsky Sad, preschool. We had been talking it up for weeks. He did really well, but it was so hard to leave him there. It's scary dropping your child off in a place where they don't understand what other people are saying. The only tears came from me, when we were in the car.

After wondering if we were doing the right thing, he came home and told me all about school and the first thing he said with much enthusiasm was, "Momma they read Kalabok." This is a story his nanny read to him every day she was here. It's his favorite. (It's a similar story to the gingerbread man only it's a little roll.) I felt like Father was showing me that it was going to be okay, and that he is taking care of my sweet Calvin.

This past week he's told me things I didn't even know he knew how to say. He's even added a few new sentences to his vocabulary. I am so proud of him. Learning a new language isn't easy, but he's doing great.

All dressed up in his school clothes.  The children change from their outside clothes to inside clothes.

His favorite thing to tell his teacher is, "I don't want to eat." I told him how to say it after his first day of school and when I was putting Micah down for nap I heard him make up a little song, singing it over and over again. So far he's only eaten bread and drank his compote (sort of a fruit juice drink) for lunch, but we'll get there. In the words of Marvin, "I mean they have soup for lunch every day, how often does he eat soup like that."

And he's off.

I think we're off to a good start and pretty soon he'll surpass his parent's language skills, not looking forward to that one, but I'm sure it will come just as quickly as preschool did.

Today

My heart is heavy for friends who have to make some hard decisions. Ones that I wish could be replaced by who is going to change the next diaper, or deciphering their newborn's cry.


I'm praying for them as they enter a road they never thought they would have to travel. Begging Father to be their everything.


 In the midst of this, Father has reminded me that today IS a gift. I'm cherishing my family today.


 I'm choosing to love them through the whines, cries, & sleepless nights.


 Because these days are precious.


I am blessed.


 Thank you little Noah for reminding me of that today.