Aunt "Gecka"

This is my sister, Jessica. She is a God-send. Literally. I do not know where the intense, undeserved, love for my children came from, but I am so so grateful for it. She works full-time as a therapist, and uses her day off, Friday's, to come and play hard with Sam for a few hours.

Every week. Every single week.

I love watching them together, they are two peas in a pod and I am so happy that he has someone in his life that understands him so well. He is deliriously in love with her, and idealizes her husband, "Uncka Matt."

We love you. Everyone should have an Aunt Gecka.

In the Wee Small Hours

This is the reason I stay home full-time with my children, to capture and savor these precious moments. The baby woke up at 6 am, Sam wandered into our room at 6:25 am and we just cuddled together for a while. I'm so thankful I could document this for future hard days when I need a reminder.

I swear to you the baby was smiling like a lantern, it's hard to see though because the video is kind of dark. Hope this makes you smile. "I yuv you, Charlyotte. What you talkin 'bout, Charlyotte? Is Charlyotte a mom, Mom? I yuv my baby sister. Bess you, Charlyotte! I kiss her. She yike me. What going on Charlyotte? What you probem, Charlyotte?"

Birthday Extravaganza

I don't know any other three year olds who could have possibly enjoyed a better birthday. And it's not even over yet, we have a party with his cousins in June. I cannot believe he's three. People always talked about how fast it all goes, but now I'm really seeing it. The baby days are behind us, I have a boy on my hands now.

This little man (who, when asked how old he is, answers "Fourteen. I fourteen.") was awake at 5:30 in the morning and had to be bribed back into his room to accept a birthday tray with candles, juice and a banana chocolate chip muffin. He opened presents, got balloons and then joined us at Starbucks for our weekly family "date."

Tim, the manager, thought he deserved an extra special treat. On top of the banana chocolate chip muffin. Hence the massive cup of whipped cream. It "disappeared" after a few bites. I'm not sure where it went.

We had a party for my side of the family and some dear friends on Sunday. Let me tell you, Uncle Julio's Mexican not only is a great restaurant, but they do an amazing job with carryout food. We had chips, salsa, guac, faijitas, chicken enchiladas, Front Street Cocina Margaritas for the adults and a pretty darn awesome chocolate cake. The frosting was from Martha Stewart and is now my favorite chocolate frosting. How could you NOT go right with cream cheese, creme freche, bittersweet chocolate AND cocoa powder? It was soooo good, especially cold out of the fridge the next few days. I mean I HEARD that it was good. Ahem.

So aside from birthday celebration and preparation, we've just been busy. I don't know where the last few weeks have flown. Charlotte is three months old now, smiles and chuckles and is just generally a lovely little person. I can't get her to go eight hours regularly yet, but that's asking alot for just a few months. Birth announcement is finally done, now to just print them and get them sent.

It's supposed to be in the seventies all week and sunny. Praise the Lord it's time to get outside.

Breakfast

A rattling noise makes it's way under my pillow into my ears at 6:13 am this morning. It's coming from down the hallway, what could it be?

I rise groggily from bed to check it out and come upon this scene.

"Whatcha doing Sam?"
"You hungry Mom? I making you breakfast!"

Oh my sweet son, love your creativity, just not the hour. Good job cracking your first egg yesterday for our buttermilk pancake dinner, I hope it leads to many great meals in your life.

Evidence

I shot this video yesterday, right after Sam wandered down from his nap, hair all askew, telling me the kitchen smelled like bagels. I'd made Martha Stewart's Best Brownies for Small Group behind his back and he was bummed. All he got out of it was to lick the bowl.

ANYWAYS, he said his little piece again and I wanted to get it on tape. In case anyone cares.

I couldn't have scripted this

...even if I'd wanted to.

We had a long, wonderful day today enjoying the gorgeous weather. Sam ran hard, moved rocks from one pile to another and fell face first into the tadpole wading pools at the Morton Arboretum while I juggled the baby from the stroller to the baby bijorn and back again. He took a three hour nap and then was super tired at bedtime tonight as well.

He is slowly working through a wonderful Children's Cathecism book, we're currently learning question number nine. Here's how the conversation went right before praying with him and turning his light out.

"Hey Buddy, In how many Person's does this One God exist?" (Question 8)
"In freee Person's."
"Can you name the three Person's, Sam?" (Question 9)
"Da Fader, da Son and da Hooooly Asparagus."

Scott put his face in Sam's pillow and howled silently, while I tried to keep a straight face. "The Holy Spirit, Buddy, that's right! And we did have asparagus for dinner, wasn't it yummy?"

This Little Piggie Went to the French Market

This Little Piggie stayed in her stroller, peering around intently.
This Little Piggie had a Videlia Beef sandwich from Shane's Deli.
This Little Piggie had none.
This Little Piggie squeeeeeeeed all the way home with her basket full of freshly baked Great Harvest bread, 2 lbs of asparagus, and the first Illinois strawberries of the season.

Oh baby the Market is back and we are HAPPY about that! Just spent a perfectly lovely Saturday morning letting our almost three year old amble strollerless into downtown as the spring breeze blew our hair around and the birds sang. We saw friends, played in the fountain, sipped on coffee and bought some lovely local produce.

There are some new vendors this year, most notably a booth from Zullo's in Chicago, making fresh and hot apple cider donut holes and local, organic Italian street food like roasted vegetable pizza and mini calzones.

This weekly tradition of ours is a highlight of the week for me, we are usually there rain or shine. I told Scott last night at dinner that I'm going to attempt to plan our next week's meals out on Fridays and purchase as many of our veggies and fruit from the market that I can. We'll see how that goes.

On the list for this week:
Cipriani Pappardelle pasta with asparagus, crisp chicken breast and lemon sauce
Buttermilk Pancakes with sliced strawberries
And some nonotable meals out of the freezer from my pregnancy hoarding days.