A Few To Start

Here are a few of my favorites from the family reunion.  (More to come later.)   Enjoy!

Poop!

No picture to add with this post, but I'll start posting family reunion pictures soon, I promise!

I just had to share something that happened last night.  One of those memorable parenting moments that you laugh about, even though you would have been horrified about it before you had kids.

**stop reading if you're not interested in poop stories!**

Last night, G let me know she needed to go poo-poo.  She ran to the bathroom and sat down on her little potty and I stayed in there with her, chatting, for a little while.  After a bit, I told her to call for me when she was all done so I could help her wipe and wash her hands, and I went to the living room.

After a few minutes I heard her calling - "Mama!"  I walked back to the bathroom, and she was still sitting on the potty. 

G:  "Mama, the poop go "PPPSHHH!" (making an explosion motion with her hands) and I got toilet paper and I wipe my bottom and I wipe the potty so it's all clean and now I have more poo-poo inside."

Me, confused:  "You already wiped??"

G, pleased with herself:  "Yes, I wiped and I trew it in the trash and I wiped the potty."

Me, noticing the poop on her forearm, the side of her shirt, the side of the potty, and her left calf:  "I'm glad you wiped and got all clean, Gisèle - great job!  Now let me get a wipe and just make sure you're REALLY clean."

G, standing up and reaching toward me with, I see, a bit of poop on one hand: "Ok, Mama, but I'm all clean!"

Me:  "I know - NO, DON'T TOUCH ME - but I just want to - NO, DON'T TOUCH THE FLOOR - make really sure you got - HOLD YOUR HANDS OUT IN THE AIR! - all of the poo-poo off."

I wiped her down with baby wipes, and then antibacterial wipes.  I picked up the potty insert to dump it out in the toilet, when she said "No, Mama - I have MORE poo-poo inside!"

I sighed as she sat her now-clean bottom back down on the mound of poo-poo, and (apparently having learned nothing at all from the previous five minutes) told her to let me know when she was done.

I headed back out to the living room, and proceeded to crack up as I related the story to Jamie.  Two minutes later, a fully-clothed Gisèle bounced into the living room saying "All done!"

I let out a little shriek and ushered her back into the bathroom where I then wiped her down (again) and reminded her to wash her hands.  With LOTS of soap.

Ah, parenthood!

Quick Note

We're back from our vacation, and I'm trying to catch up at work, unpack at home, and organize all of the pictures I took.  I'll be back to blogging as soon as I can, but for now, thank you for your birthday wishes and your patience!

Funny Face

My beautiful girl has one of the most expressive faces I've ever seen.  She has a myriad of expressions, and uses them all every day.  I love to ask her questions, because the longer she talks about something, the more expressions she comes up with.  Here are just a few, all from the same conversation (face-painting was done at school that day):

Quick Update

Quick update:  Miles just had his 9 month check-up, and he's officially off the charts in height!  He's 30 3/4 inches tall, just over 20 pounds (50%) and has a head circumference in the 95%.  All around, he's a very healthy boy (no more ear infections!) and the doctor is very happy with him.  :)

Some Favorite Photos

I just ordered a bunch of prints from Snapfish and thought I'd share the album with you.  These are some of my favorite photos of our family since Miles was born.


Click here to be bowled over with cuteness

Seafood Risotto

YUM.

Seafood Risotto
from Pink Parsley

1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced (1/3 cup)
salt and pepper
2/3 cup Arborio rice
pinch of saffron threads
1/2 cup dry white wine
8 jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed, each cut into 3 pieces
6 ounces bay scallops (about 1 cup scallops)
1 tomato, cored, seeded, and chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
lemon wedges, for serving

-Combine the chicken broth and clam juice in a medium bowl; cover and microwave until hot, 1 to 3 minutes.
-Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots have softened, 1-3 minutes. Stir in the rice and saffron and cook until the ends of the rice are transparent, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook until it is completely absorbed, 1-2 minutes.
-Add 1 cup of the hot broth mixture and simmer, stirring frequently, until all the liquid has absorbed, and the bottom of the pan is almost dry. This will take close to 10 minutes.
-Add broth 1/2 cup at a time, and stir until almost all the liquid has been absorbed between each addition. Be careful not to let the bottom of the pan dry out. Continue to stir often, and repeat until the rice is al dente, about 10-15 minutes. (You may not use all the broth.)
-Stir in the remaining 1 Tbsp butter until it has melted. Gently fold in the shrimp, scallops, tomatoes, basil, and 1/3 cup of the broth mixture. Cover the skillet, reduce heat to low, and cook until the seafood is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir once halfway through cooking.
-Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

G Enjoying a Muffin

Soon, I'll get back to posting with words instead of just pictures.  For now, enjoy these pictures of my sweet girl!

My Boys

Gisèle, while playing:  "Dear God, Thank you for my Mom.  We love her.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Me:  (melting)

Gisèle and Her Yogurt