Heidi and Friends, Part IV

Heidi & Co. got together for a craft project. I was a bad mommy and didn't capture pictures of the actual "event" (making handprints), but we did score some group photos. You'll recognize some of Heidi's friends from previous posts.

At least Simone was cooperating and looking forward. Rosemary is envying the hair that Simone has already grown. Heidi is plotting her attack on Rosemary.

Initiate attack sequence...

At least one cutie was looking at my camera for this picture. Simone can't keep her eyes off her mom. Heidi can't keep her hands off Rosemary. Rosemary is thinking, "Here we go again..."

Introducing Georgiana...and her hair. :) Heidi wants to touch that too. (Sorry kid, your parents did not bless with thick hair genes.) Georgiana was born on June 21st. She and Heidi "met" in their parents childbirth class. She has the prettiest blue eyes. And of course, great hair. Her mom has developed a routine for "taming" it. Heidi and I don't have to worry about that.

And Heidi decides she just wants to flop about. Georgiana cooperates and looks at the camera. Look at those pretty eyes!

Heidi and Friends, Part III - Simone

Heidi's next friend that that I would like to introduce to you is Simone. Simone was born on Aug 24 and she is nine weeks younger than Heidi. Seeing her is like reminiscing of days gone by... "Oh, how small Simone is... Oh, how small Heidi used to be..." Oh wait, Heidi was never actually "small", relatively speaking. Nor is Simone. They will be rivaling each other for chunkiest cute baby thighs. There will be an official roll count after the holidays. Baby with the most rolls wins. Our babies' slogan for the holidays, is "Maintain AND Gain!" But they both are completely adorable, chunky thighs and all. Especially those kissable chubby cheeks!

Here are some photo's of Heidi and Simone. And once again, Heidi couldn't keep her hands off her friends. Sigh...

Heidi: "Hi Simone! Thanks for inviting me over to your crib! My mom said we needed some pictures together."

Simone: "I am not really sure how I feel about this..."

Heidi: "Look at all that hair! So much more than me. Can I touch it?"

Simone: "Ummmmm...now I am really not sure how I feel about this. Mommy...?"

Simone: "Mommy!! Daddy!! Help!!"

And enter Ben, stage right, to intervene and rescue Simone from Heidi's attack.

Heidi: "Fine. If I can't touch her, I will just sit here. (And stick out my tongue at you!)"

Simone: "Phew!"

Heidi and Friends, Part II - Rosemary

Rosemary and Heidi are friends that go way back...back in utero when they "met" in prenatal yoga class. Rosemary was born the day after Heidi...in the same hospital!

Since birth the duo has enjoyed many walks together, some runs (well...maybe more of a jog), and lunches at Noble Romans (for the breadsticks with nacho cheese sauce, of course!). They enjoy snickering to themselves as they listen to their moms try to figure out newborn care, feeding, sleeping, as if there was any rhyme or reason. They take notes so that just when their mom thinks they have something figured out, they change it up! Little stinkers!

The other day Rosemary and her mom came to hang out with Heidi and I. It was cold and rainy outside so we spent the day indoors. Here is Rosemary. She is a cutie!

And now the babies "play" together...

Heidi: "Rosemary! I am so happy to see you! So often we are confined to our strollers and I can't even see you. Gimmie a hug!"

Rosemary: "I told my mommy that we needed some play time."

Rosemary: "Ummm..., maybe that is a little too close..."

Rosemary: "Yikes! Mommy help me! Heidi is attacking me!"

Heidi: "I am just sooooo happy to see you! Come on...give me a hug!"

Heidi: "Well I guess I can just show you some of my toys. Look at the singing penguins and snowman, are they captivating??"

Rosemary: "Ooooo....ahhhh....Flashing lights too! I like this better..."

Heidi & Friends, Part I - Tipton

I have been very blessed to have made some great friends who have had babies very close to when I had Heidi.  Close as in the same day, day after, and a few days/weeks after too.

They have all been so wonderful to talk to about what a new mom is going through... commiserate about post partum pains (I prepared for the pains of natural childbirth, but no one tells you about the pain afterwards!), ask the "is this normal?!?" and "is <fill in child's name> doing this??", and the list of benefits goes on and on... 

It is really neat to see babies start doing the same things around the same time.  It is also great fun to get together see them interact more now that they are becoming more aware of things around them.

I am hoping that Heidi is not going to be a bully.  Every time she "plays" with her friends, she wants to roll over them, grab them, suck their face, pull off their clothes.  They will kind of just look at her in astonishment like, "what are you doing crazy?!?"  I prefer to think of her as a "gentle giant" who is just excited to see them and wants to play.

I can't wait to see all of them grow up together and how they change and interact even more.  Hopefully Heidi learns to "play nice."  I am reminded of something that my father once told me about my constant teasing of my sisters..."Now Kelly, you'd better be nice to your sisters, are they are not going to like you." 

"Now Heidi, you'd better be nice to your friends are they are not going to like you...."

Tipton.

You may remember Tipton, who was born the same day as Heidi, from her baby date at the salon. 

Well Tipton, aka Dr. Love (!), came over to visit....

 

Tipton:  "Hello again Heidi!  Want to hold my hand?"

 Heidi:  "No, I want to see if you are getting any teeth"

Heidi:  "Now come a bit closer so I can get a better look."

Tipton:  "Hey!  I thought the doctor was supposed to give the examinations."

Heidi: "Fine.  If you don't want to play doctor, I will just roll over you."

Heidi:  "Come back, I'm not done with you!"

Tipton:  "No, just leave me alone!"

Heidi: "I said, 'COME BACK!' "

Tipton: "I am never coming back crazy lady!"

 (We, of course, hope that Tipton will indeed entertain a visit with Heidi again.)

Guacamole

When I envisioned having a blog, I imagined having posts related to food I like to make, craft projects, vacations, baby, everyday adventures....you know, life.  Well, here is my first (and hopefully not last) recipe.  Guacamole.  One of my favorite snacks.  Others have commented that they like the way I make it.  And it "others" is not just Ben.  He has to say that so I keep feeding him.  When I am not around he doesn't eat.  He doesn't go to bed at a decent time either.  So he needs me around the keep him nourished and rested.  I also taught him the ending joy of the snooze button, but that is another story.

So the guac was tonights dinner.  Period.  I did not say starter, appetizer, or poupou.  Dinner.  With some tortilla chips of course.

I have taken some photos to go along with the directions to make it.  I am trying to use my camera on the manual setting and avoid the flash.  A few of the pictures I am moderately successful at getting them in focus and the lighting right.  If I wasn't so hungry I may have taken more time to get better photos.  And maybe if I had more time on my hands I would spend some time cropping them.  

Maybe the one person that reads my blog can made it too if they like this sort of thing.  And if they did, the would of course the onions.  Right L.L. ?!?  ;-)

Here are all the ingredients I use:  avocado, cilantro, lime, roma tomato, shallot, garlic, jalapeño (although serrano chilies are pictured here), white pepper and kosher salt.  When making guacamole, it is never quite the same twice.  It's typically the same ingredients (although tonight serrano had to be substituted  for jalapeño, which was not available).  Quantities vary slightly because it's never exact measurements.

First remove the avocado from the skins and pits.  I used three here.

Slice it up roughly with a knife.

Dice the shallot.  I used one medium sized one.

Mince one garlic clove.

Chop a handful of cilantro.  Here it a picture of how much pre chopped.

And now post chopped.

Add the shallot, garlic, cilantro to the avocado.

Juice one whole lime into the mixture.

Add a palmful of salt.  (I like salt.  I am often adding more at the end too.)

Add a pinch of white pepper.

Mince some of the chili pepper.  Be sure to remove seeds membranes first.  Since I was using serrano instead of jalapeño, I used less.  In the photo you can see one part of it has been seeded.  And I only used the tip of the chili.  (Note: it is much better with the jalapeño, in my opinion.)

Here the white membrane has been cut out and the remaining flesh miniced.  (Ben requested more chili pepper during final taste test so I added the other portion as well.)

Mix all together.  At this point you have added all ingredients except the tomato.

Chop the tomato into a desired level of dice.

Final mix and taste.  I thought it needed more salt (like I said!) and Ben asked for more chili pepper.  

And the final product.....

And a final note...When cooking I use a "waste bowl", which I keep near me on the counter and use it to collect waste/trash as I work.  It does make for a more efficient and easier clean up at the end.  I didn't show a picture of all the dirty dishes.  Ben is washing them now.  What a nice guy! 

Oh the months go by...

Waaaaaaaay overdue for a post.  Multiple posts.  Need to get back into the swing of posting.  Wait...was I ever in the swing??? 

Anyway...here are some photos from months 1 through 5.  The five month shots were a few days late and somewhat lacking in quality/quantity, but we were in the midst of major home upgrades...new furnace, A/C, water heater, 99% of the plumbing...it was big time work. 

I spent some time in Ohio during the work because Heidi and I were not so keen on staying in the house with no running water.  Ben, however, suffered through it and was never so grateful for running water after not having it for a week.  Of the "upgrades", I am most excited/please about our fridge now having a water line hooked up to it.  Now I can get easy access, great tasting water!

Now onto what you are probably most interested in....Heidi's photos: