Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins

It seems like we go through phases in our house when it comes to eating bananas. Some weeks we're out a couple of days after I get them, other days I can't get anyone to eat them and they sit and get brown. Then there's my favorite; when Amelia opens one, takes one bite and then leaves it lay.

I usually take all the uneaten bits and the over-ripe ones and throw them into the freezer until I have enough to make banana bread, but then I go through the same dilemma with getting a whole loaf of bread eaten.

The solution I came up with are these tasty muffins made with oatmeal that are perfect for a quick breakfast. The best part is I can throw them into the freezer and pull them out the night before or even morning of to serve to my finicky eaters!

Oh Pepto...

Saturday morning started earlier than I wanted, so as little faces peered over the side of the bed into my tired face I pleaded with the husband for five more minutes. Being the great husband he is, he obliged and took the girls to change diapers, use the potty and get some breakfast. About 30 minutes later he climbed into bed with me and told me it was time to get up. We laid there for a couple minutes and finally I worked up the energy to kick my legs off the bed and get up. Andy was a couple steps ahead of me when I heard:

"What is in your mouth?!"

I looked down at Amelia who was spewing a pink substance onto the floor leaving a trail as she ran (she had a feeling time out was in her future) As soon as I picked her up I could smell the cherry of Pepto Bismol tablets. She looked up at me with her big eyes and said, "Mmm, tastes good." (So honest, always!)

I tried to calm Andy down while I found the bottle to read the label. It didn't go over so well when it's warning label said to call poison control immediately. This was my first call to poison control so I was floored when no one would answer. I called my sister, who is a nurse, who started googling things online for me while I called back and this time said it was a life threatening emergency (it could have been for all I knew, that's why they should have answered the non-emergency line so I would know!)

After a few minutes on the phone with a really nice lady it was determined that she would be ok, but would probably have a stomach ache and weird colored bowel movements. She ate 7 tablets, but the amount of aspirin was low enough that there were no real risks.

We went through the whole day Saturday with no issues, no tummy aches, no issues using the bathroom, nothing. Hooray for a child with an iron stomach! (I credit the grass and other random substances we would find her eating when she was smaller-and even now)

Sunday rolled around and we went out to visit my parents for lunch. We arrived at their house before they did so we sat in their backyard and relaxed. That was until Amelia announced she needed to go to the bathroom. The house was locked so no potty. All I could think was I should have listened to Andy about the pull up this morning. I insisted she wear big girl panties because she hasn't been having accidents. And then I thought of my lack of planning since we had no back up clothes. Andy and I just looked at each other and then Andy turned to her and said, "You're going to potty outside."

To my shock Amelia was more than happy to give it a go. Afterwards we reinforced that it was not something we would make a habit of, only if we were camping or it was an emergency and mommy and daddy said it was ok. Two minutes later she was back to insisting she needed to go potty. We told her to wait, thinking she just wanted to go outside again, and didn't pay much attention.

Then it happened.

I heard a little voice ask, "That's not my potty, Mom?  That's not my poop?"

I looked up to see what appeared to be mud in her hand. As I looked a minute longer I saw a trail down her legs, onto her shoes, and onto the back porch of my dad's house. Just like the lady warned, strange colored poop. Black, like potting soil.

I was cracking up laughing as I used a garden hose to clean off my child and the porch. My husband took it like a champ, he has come a long way from his days of becoming squeamish at the littlest things and over reacting to situations out of our control!

My parents showed up as we were turning off the hose so we relived our experience, an unapologetic face looking at them as we told the story. Guaranteed to be one that will no doubt be retold when she's older to embarrass her.


And for those of you that are concerned, the pepto has been moved out of little hands reach. Childproof means nothing!

A Big Blubbering Ball of Emotion

By about 9:00 this morning I was ready to throw in the towel on today. It's not that there was anything particularly bad or out of the usual that happened, it's that my nerves were shot. Too much noise, too much mess, and too much needing. And then I realized that somehow I had managed to skip three days of my meds. The first day was intentional, since I was going to have a few drinks at an outing (something I had not done since deciding to take medicine) and the next night I read in bed and fell asleep reading and forgot. After a relatively smooth day yesterday I was excited at the prospect of no longer taking them so I decided skip taking last nights as well. 

Bad idea.

It was a not-so-friendly reminder that this thing doesn't have a quick fix. As much as I would like to be off the medication, there is no way I will let it come at the cost of my relationship with my kids and husband. It took too long to realize that I needed help and to get it in the first place. 

The past couple of days I think I have experienced every emotion possible, quickly jumping from one to the next. Feelings of inadequacy loomed over me and I felt like a timid child questioning every thing I did and every emotion I felt. I was so sad as I sat alone with my thoughts (during the brief moment of quiet at nap time) and thought of people who go through this everyday, never getting help. 

I anxiously took my pill tonight, hopeful for a better day tomorrow. I know that medication isn't a long term thing for me, but I also realized that it isn't time to quit taking it yet. I cannot express enough how grateful I am for friends who talked to me, the midwives who diagnosed me, and for making the decision to get help. 

If you think that you are suffering from postpartum depression, talk to your doctor. You are not alone in this and there is help. There may not be a quick fix solution but there are things that can help as you get back to being yourself again. 

Let Your Imagination Run Wild

After spending entirely too long on the phone, bouncing back in froth between calling the hospital and the insurance company, I'm convinced that Marinn will be five and we will still be getting bills from when she was born.

Frustrated and seriously lacking patience I turned to quite Amelia who had come into the room for the umpteenth time and found her with a card in one hand, a pen in the other, and a phone sandwiched between her cheek and shoulder.

"Can I have your number? Ok bye. Let me get my checkbook. Hello? I have a baby Marinn. Have a good day. Let me write on my paper. Thank you."

She was busy scribbling down things on her imaginary paper, chatting away when she noticed me watching and set it down to come ask me to hold her. How could I resist that sweet little face looking at me?

She is getting so big, as is apparent with her ever-growing imagination. Within moments she is caught up in a story of her own having hilarious conversations between dolls, people on the phone, or retelling stories from visits with her cousins. I love watching as she and daddy build things with her legos and suddenly three blocks stacked together is a rocket ship on its way to the moon to get cheese and when a plate becomes her kitchen as she makes soups and noodles (her specialties)

It may be a small thing, but in the world of a two year old it's big. More evidence that my baby is getting older. I can already tell that the pages of my "Things My Kids Said" journal will be filling fast with things like:

"Christopher pushed me down in the grass. I said, 'That's not nice, Chris!' I see him and I pushed him in the grass and he cried and cried like a baby. That's silly. Yee haw cowboy." -Amelia 8/7/12, first time replaying a real event and adding her own ending

Best Girls

I feel so lucky to get to watch my girls grow and change. 

It never ceases to amaze me that I made these little people. They grew in my belly and during that time I would dream of what life would be like with them in it. 

The reality is so much sweeter than the dreams.

There are more challenges than I ever anticipated, but as the days pass those aren't the things I remember. I remember the sweet words whispered into the ear of a tiny baby as a big sister tells her, "We're best girls Marinn because I love you, love you." I remember the excitement in Amelia's face as she rushed in to greet the sleepy face in the crib. I remember seeing Marinn buried under a pile of toys as a big sister was 'sharing' so nicely. I remember the way Marinn laughed whole-heartedly only for her big sister. I remember the soothing voice Amelia used to comfort a cranky baby strapped into the car seat. 

They are so little yet they have such a strong connection already. They make me want to love bigger and give my love more freely. They are still untainted by the world and only know who they are and what they feel. 

In a way I envy that. It seems as though as we get older and experience more we become more reserved, more aware of other peoples perceptions, a little selfish, and we aren't always true to ourselves. 

I hope they are always 'best girls' and I want to do everything I can to help foster a strong relationship between them. It is the greatest feeling looking in the rearview mirror at two sweet, smiling faces. My best girls.

Pear and Almond Tart

I have dug myself out from under the mountain of pears!

I had a few pears left ripening on my counter that I needed to use so I whipped up this lovely little tart (and promptly ate a HUGE piece!) I kept the flavors mild and simple so the pears shine through but this recipe could easily be spiced up with a little cinnamon and cardamom. The flakey crust makes it perfect for a light dessert or breakfast pastry.

Pear and Almond Tart

Ingredients
Puffy pastry sheet, thawed
4 small pears
1/2 cup ground almonds
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup honey, warmed

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry to remove creases. Place onto baking sheet and pierce with a fork every couple inches to prevent air bubbles.
In a small bowl combine ground almonds (I used my blender to grind them. Approximately 1 cup sliced = 1/2 cup ground), sugar, and flour. Add the room temperature butter and mix until crumbly. Sprinkle onto the pastry leaving about a 1/2 inch perimeter.
Next peel, core and thinly slice the pears. Toss them with the lemon juice to prevent browning. Lay them on the pastry in rows, slightly overlapping.
Brush the pears with melted butter and place in the oven for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and brush the pears with warmed honey. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes or until pastry is lightly browned.
allow to cool slightly before serving.

Pushing Daisies Pie (Pear and Gruyere Pie)

As soon as I had pears to bake with I knew I wanted to make a pear pie.  I bought Gruyere cheese to go in it, but I had no idea why I wanted to use this. That was until I searched recipes online- then it came to me...

When I was a nanny the series Pushing Daisies was on TV and I LOVED it! Every Thursday morning, during nap time, I would watch the show recorded from the night before and I was so sad when they canceled it.  It was such a cute/quirky story line with an adorable cast, the best clothes, and, of course, The Pie Hole- where they made amazing pies. In the show they made a pear and gruyere pie to cheer up Chucks aunts. Apparently this was burned into my subconscious because I needed to make this pie! I found this recipe and modified it a little.