6 months

 
River is 6 months old today. Only a half of a year ago, he was still inside of me; and now here he is, devouring all the applesauce I offer him.

To mark the day, we also had his wellness visit with our favorite nurse practitioner, Yvonne. She was impressed with his smiley disposition, his strength and muscle tone, and his giggly wiggles whenever she went to examine him.

She declared him healthy. All 17 pounds, 8 ounces and 27 inches of him, putting him in the 50th and 75th percentiles respectively. (He is a full 2 pounds heavier than Liam was at this age.)

When I described River's symptoms whenever I consume even the smallest amount of dairy (intense abdominal pain, gas, mucousy stools...), she agreed that it definitely sounds like a genuine allergy and not just an intolerance, and is referring us to the allergist in Bentonville for further testing. We are going to have Liam tested as well. It will be good for my peace of mind to officially find out what I should and shouldn't feed these boys, since it is likely that they could have other allergies. 

She also gave us a referral to another specialist in Fayetteville to see what can be done about his lop-sided head. It was something we discussed at his 4-month check up, and I have followed all of her suggestions to encourage him to put pressure on the other side of his head. It has helped, but he is still not symmetrical. Because this can potentially cause developmental problems down the road, we want to address it now, which may mean River could be one of those goofy babies in a shaping helmet for a month or so. We'll see what the specialist thinks.

It seems like it is just one weird thing after another with this kid. But, I am grateful that none of these medical quirks are anything life threatening. And what is most important is that he is a vibrant, happy little guy, who seems to be thriving despite it all.

I sure love my sweet, not-so-little River.

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a day at the zoo

Yesterday, we drove out to Tulsa for some time at the zoo before going to the airport to meet my mom, who was flying back from a visit with Forest in California.

Liam was uncharacteristically well-behaved, which meant we all had a great time. We saw all of the favorites: chimpanzees, owls, the big fish in the rainforest, and plenty of snakes. River was really interested in the marmosets this time.

We packed a lunch and enjoyed it over by the playground, which Liam is finally seeming old enough to navigate on his own.   River was more than happy to spend some time sitting in the wagon, gnawing on his favorite teething toy (Thanks, Boucher family!).
 

And then they rode in the wagon together. River thought it was all unbelievably fun. Liam didn't seem to mind so much either.

After a trip on the train around the zoo, Liam braved his second ever spin on the carousel. This time he chose the shark, and River and I rode right next to him on the seahorse. This was the highlight of his day.

 

No. The real highlight was getting to see Grammie. We all missed her while she was gone for the past few days. I found myself going through mom-withdrawals when we didn't get to have our daily lunch-time chat on the phone.

I'm glad you're back, Mom.

After the airport, we still had to go back to Springdale and clean the childcare center, and we had Liam and River with us for the cleaning as well. By the time we made finally pulled into our driveway at home, it was after 11. Liam was still awake, chatty and in a pleasant mood 4 hours after his bed time.

Did this mean he slept in 4 hours the next morning? Of course not. He was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at 6:30 in the morning...

I, however, was not. 

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big trucks

Some things need no explanation: Little boys love BIG trucks.

At least this little boy does.

For the past few weeks, we have spent many mornings and afternoons in downtown Siloam Springs watching the construction going on at Sager Creek. It has been a fantastic excuse to pack a picnic blanket, some snacks, and go for a walk together. Liam doesn't complain, and River thinks it is a great time to nap.

I never thought I'd love the big trucks so much, too.

 
Going in for a closer inspection while the trucks take a lunch break. I'm not sure he realizes that people operate the trucks...  

Doing some earth-moving of his own.

 

Fall weather has been taking its time settling in, and we are not complaining.

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jumping into Monday

Mondays are typically rough for Liam, coming off of a weekend of all the Daddy-time, which is why I love it that Mondays are also our day to visit with Crystal , Simone, and Everett. Today, it was our turn to go to their house.

One of their neighbors is generous enough to share the trampoline in the communal backyard, and this was Liam's first time to get on it.

He was a bit hesitant.

Liam usually does everything with such gusto that any trepidation on his part is so sweetly unexpected. And when he needs Mama to help him, I am more than happy to oblige.

And, really, any excuse to get on a huge trampoline works for me. (Jennie, this brought back so many memories...). 

 

Learning to jump. Learning to fall. It's all fun on a trampoline. 

I think this is the only time I have ever seen Liam more timid than Simone. It was so much fun to see her shine .

Once he was a little more used to the idea, Liam loved jumping. And it made for the best games of ring-around-the-rosy. He thought it was hilarious.

And another first for him today: chewing bubble gum (usually he just swallows it). He worked at this piece for a long time.

And since this was clearly a day for firsts, Liam also got his first tattoo. Showing his co-op pride...

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{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Inspired by Amanda.

unplanning and other virtues

Last weekend I did something completely out of the ordinary, something I have never ever done before: I did our bi-weekly grocery shopping without a list and without any kind of a menu plan.

I usually spend several hours on Friday pouring over cookbooks, planning two weeks worth of evening meals and every ingredient for the menu; then, I make my shopping list, including all of the necessary staples. After getting it all down on paper, I rewrite the entire list on a new sheet, dividing the list between the farmer's market, Ozark Natural Foods, and Wal-Mart, and all of the items are organized within these subcategories in order of their location within the store. I shop from the back of the store to the front, which means for ONF I start with toiletries, cleaning supplies, and bulk spices and Wal-Mart begins with baking ingredients and other dried goods. A little O.C.D.? Clearly.

And so, when last Friday came and went and I still did not have a meal plan, let alone a shopping list, and Gabriel suggested I just shop without them, I was at first a bit outraged. And then I thought I'd give it a try. Be gutsy. Live life on the edge.

I did, and it felt great.

And not having a set plan for dinner each night is also liberating. I know what my options are, and I know I could come up with something completely different. Such freedom.

So, what was for dinner tonight?

 
Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup, Mixed Greens Salad with Molasses Vinaigrette, and Fresh Sourdough Rye Bread with buttery spread and Sliced Radishes.

...edited...

The soup recipe is from Mollie Katzen's Get Cooking. It was relatively easy, and Liam got a kick out of helping me seed and peel the squash. And he actually ate some of the soup, too. Best of all, this soup is dairy-free (with the appropriate butter substitution) without seeming like it was missing something.

I followed the recipe exactly and had to increase the roasting time to get the squash soft enough, which ended up drying out the edges. Next time around, I will increase the oven temperature to caramelize the squash in the recommended cooking time.

"Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup"

• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 4 pounds butternut squash (about 2 medium)
• 2 TBSP butter (I used Earth Balance Buttery Spread)
• 1 medium red or yellow onion, chopped (I used yellow)
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 medium Granny Smith apples (I used Braeburn), peeled and thinkly sliced
• 1/2 tsp crumbled dried/rubbed sage
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 4 cups water
• Up to 1 TBSP lemon juice as needed (I omitted it)
• Up to 1 TBSP dark brown sugar (ditto)

1. Adjust the oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees (Next time I'll try 425...). Line a baking sheet with foil (I used parchment paper) and drizzle it with olive oil.
2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, remove seeds, and peel the squash halves. Cut it into 1-inch pieces.
3. Arrange the squash chunks in a single layer on the prepared tray, and roast in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the pieces are fork tender and turning golden around the edges.
4. While the squash is roasting, melt the butter in a dutch oven over medium heat. When the butter foams, swirl to coat the pan, and then add the onion and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or untilt he onion begins to soften.
5. Add the apple slices, along with the sage and thyme, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until the apples are very tender.
6. Add the roasted squash and the water to the onion-apple mixture. Turn up the heat and bring the soup to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes
7. Remove the pot from the heat and puree the soup in batches with a blender, or all in the soup pot with an immersion blender.
8. Taste and see if it is too sweet: add the lemon juice / too tart: add the brown sugar. (I didn't find either option necessary.)
9. Serve hot.

And for the molasses vinaigrette, just shake together in a lidded jar:

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons molasses *
• 1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

This dressing is the closest I have found to the scrumptious salad dressing served at the now-out-of-business La Maison des Tartes in Fayetteville. I'm still mourning their closing... 

This soup was great with the crusty rye bread, but any hearty bread would be delicious.

... 

And since we are not living according to plan this week, River had his first meal:

No reconstitued rice cereal or mushed bananas for this baby. He went straight to the real thing, and he liked it.

And since the plan had been to start slow when it came to solid foods, he also had a slice of rye bread with not-butter to suck on.

Here's to living life on the wild side!

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scenes from the day - Wednesday

building a fire and keeping it going
 
 washing yesterday's dishes 
waking up happy after his morning nap

 

 not making it to the potty in time 
finishing
 
still not watering... 
 
sitting !!!
 
playing 
dancing
 
loving / tormenting 
 

sewing

not folding 
[Liam] ripping books instead of napping...
[Me] confiscating all books for the rest of the week 
 
 helping, stirring, tasting, baking
 
 digging
 
rolling 
 
 pre-dinner tantruming
 
 after-dinner helping
 
 cookie and almond milk relaxing

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changes

I've done it again:

I moved to a new blog.

It makes me feel kind of ridiculous, but mostly super excited.

I have been wanting to make the switch to Typepad for a while now, and I finally felt the time was right. And rather than carrying these old posts and blog title over with me, I wanted to start fresh.

I have been thinking a lot about blog direction, audience, general purpose. And what it really comes down to is that I need a space where I can post whatever I want without pressure for it to fit a certain mold. Things that make me happy. Things that are making me mad. What's inspiring me at the moment.

This new space gives me the wiggle room I was looking for.

Much of my posting will be the same: mostly pictures of our day to day, which means lots of kid cuteness. But I also hope to share more from behind the scenes. The inner workings of our day. We'll see. I'm just excited to get started.

Won't you join me?

www.simplyontheearth.com

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Inspired by Amanda.

this week

This week has slipped by much quicker than I wanted. It was a full week. A good week. A visit-from-Molly week. Rather than trying to go back and write individual posts about all of the fun we had, I'll just give the highlights.

Saturday

I have been wanting to cut my hair short since before River was born, but promised myself that I wouldn't until I fit into my favorite jeans again.

Here are the jeans and here is the new hairdo. I love it.

My mom treated both of us to haircuts at the Paul Mitchell School in Fayetteville. I didn't get the haircut I was wanting - I asked for a longish pixie cut and ended up with a bob - but I am still super happy with the outcome. I think the girl was nervous to cut off so much hair. I ended up with this length after I had her cut it a second time since her first try was well below my chin. I didn't have the heart to ask her to cut it yet again, especially since it had already taken 2 hours to get to this point. But, really, I can't complain.

Sunday

River stayed home for some special Daddy time while Liam and I went with Grammie to the airport in Tulsa to get Molly.

It looks like they had a good time.

Monday

We spent the morning in Fayetteville, visiting Crystal and her kiddos, getting some groceries, and shopping at a favorite thrift store. Liam treated Molly to a full blown meltdown in the thrift store. Screaming, refusing to get into the stroller, throwing his shoes. It was a classic moment.

That evening, we picked Linda up from work and went to my mom's for a girl's night. A soak in the hot tub, face masks, brownie sundaes, eyebrow waxing, and Gray's Anatomy. Fun fun fun.

Tuesday

Gabriel and I took River down to Children's Hospital in Little Rock for a consult with the pediatric urologist. We knew we'd be making this trip since he was born, and the conclusion of the matter is that he will need surgery. It's nothing major, but the details are not something that 13-year-old-River-in-the-future would want me to share with the world wide web. We scheduled him to have the next available surgery date: September 9, 2011. Apparently, his surgeon is the only pediatric urologist in the state, and he is quite busy. So now we wait.

And since we were down in Little Rock, we decided to visit the zoo. It was raining and the zoo was empty. We had a blast. In all of my zoological wanderings, I've never seen a giraffe quite like this before.

And these koi were insane. Insane.

All of that walking made River nice and tired for the drive home.
While we spent the day on the road and in Little Rock, Liam had an extra special day just him and his Tia Molly.

They played trains and legos. They went on a walk to the park. They painted Linda's birthday present.

And she gave him a bath. Liam is a big Tia Molly fan.

Wednesday

Linda is turning !20! next Tuesday, so we decided to celebrate her special day while we were all together.

And since no birthday of Linda's is complete without manicotti, I was more than happy to oblige (even if that meant I could only have the dairy-free pesto on gnocchi... oh, the sacrifice...).

Hurray for Manicotti

And it wouldn't be Linda's birthday without something extra chocolatey:

triple layer chocolate torte

with buttercream filling

covered in ganache

A lesson in candle-licking

There were presents

There were lots of Grammie-smooches

and Auntie Snuggling.

Can you tell we're related?

Especially from this angle?

Like mother, like daughters...

Thursday

Before taking Molly to the airport, we met my mom and Linda for lunch at Mcallisters and then went to Gulley park in Fayetteville for some photo ops.

Liam wasn't so into the picture-perfect moments, but he does love the slides...

And so does Tia Molly.

We're still working on it with River.

And I discovered what a little static will do for my haircut.

I think I may have found my new look.

After a splash in the creek

And some more cuddles with Molly,

We were off to the airport.

It was a long week. A good week. A Molly-filled-week. I'm sad it had to come to an end.

Thanks for such a great visit, Sister.