9 Months Have Come and Gone

Look who is already 9 months old!

This beautiful girl!

I am just amazed at how fast time flies these days.  I mean, I have other children and I can't believe how quickly they have grown, but time seems to be speeding up even more lately.  I mean it was only a week or so ago that I looked like this.

Wow!  Look at the big belly!

And I swear it was just yesterday that Ava was a newborn on her way home from the hospital.

 I still think of her as this little.

But this is reality.

She is nine months old and has officially been "out" and part of our little family of 6 for longer than she was "in."  Before I turn around, I will be planning her first birthday party and then I won't have a baby anymore.  YIKES!  To quote Scarlett O'Hara "I can't think about that right now.  If I do, I'll go crazy,  I'll think about that tomorrow."

Last week she had her 9 month check up and here are her official stats.

Length  27 1/2 inches or 45%

Weight  18 lbs 8.6 ounces  or 42%

Head  17 1/4 cm or 43%

She is crawling, pulling up on anything and everything, cruising around holding on to the table, and has even started climbing stairs.  And she now officially has her first tooth.  Don't worry.  The absence of teeth has not slowed her down in the eating arena one bit.  So far she has liked everything we have given her except.....BANANAS!  She hates them.

Here she is saying "Please no mommy."

And here there is just one word....YUCK!

She is a smiley, happy baby as long as Mommy is holding her.  She is definitely a Mommy's girl and has some pretty serious stranger anxiety.    Even with my parents, who she sees frequently, she is much happier playing with them from my lap.  My other three did not have this issue.  I have spoiled her I know.  She is my baby and I have been a little more "lenient" or indulgent with her than with the others.  I mean I haven't completely lost my touch.  She still sleeps in her own bed, I do let her cry when necessary, and I don't carry her around 100% of the time.  But I will admit, I have gotten soft in my old age.  For years I have given my parents a hard time for being soft with my younger sister.  She was allowed to do more and got away with way more than I ever did in my teenage years.  I guess it's likely Ava will get away with more too.  The perks of being the youngest I guess.

Happy Nine Months Ava.  We love you so much and are so glad you are ours.

A Pumpkin or Two

Autumn is here.  Officially it has been here for a month. Even though it is still rather warm here and doesn't feel like Autumn, it is.  That means it is time for college football, changing leaves, crisp air, hay rides, scarecrows, and pumpkins straight from the pumpkin patch.

Two weeks ago John David's class went on their annual field trip to a local pumpkin patch, and this year, I got to tag along.  Last year I was stuck in an 8 hour class all about taxes.  Boring...but I needed the education hours to keep my CPA license current.  Just in case I ever need it again.  And wouldn't you know it, the battery in my camera died after snapping just one picture.  That goodness for the i-phone or I would be the mom with one sad little picture of my son's pumpkin patch field trip.

There were goats to pet and feed.

A hay ride to take.

Corn to play in.

Hay bales to climb.

Snacks to eat.

And the perfect pumpkin to pick.

We both had a great time.  Just wait until you see the fun times we had when we unleashed the whole clan on the pumpkin patch.

The Kindergarten Decision

It has started.  We are searching for a school.  John David will be going to Kindergarten next year and the search is underway to find a place for him.  This search is something I both look forward to and dread.  I want to find the perfect place for him.  I want him to love going to kindergarten and his new school as much as he loves going to St. Mark's.  Honestly, if St. Mark's added an elementary school I would leave him there.  He loves it there.  All three of them do.  It is a loving, nurturing wonderful place that has helped him learn and grow so much over the past 2 1/2 years.

To be honest, this kindergarten search is something I didn't think I would have to do. When husband and I made the decision to move back to Arkansas when John David was born I thought the school decisions were made.  We would send him to the small parochial school where we and the rest of my family attended church.  I attended elementary school there as did both my brother and sister.  My mom taught there.  My dad was on the school board.  And even though we would have to pay tuition, it was a done deal.  It was important to me, and husband, and we would have found a way to pay for it.  Unfortunately, this beloved school is no longer an option.  After 54 years in operation, the church made the decision to close the school.  The church's decision was not one I agree with and I was and continue to be heartbroken over it.  I am healing, slowly, and now that I am looking for a new school for my children, the pain and heartache from the school's closing is again fresh and raw.  I knew in my heart it was the right place for my children.  There they would have been nurtured and grown to their fullest, brightest potential.  But I can do nothing about the school's closing.  All I can do now is try to find a school that will hopefully do for them what my beloved Cathedral School would have.

And so we search.

We have already visited our zoned public school and while I hear lots of wonderful things about it, and know lots of parents and children who love it, and know there are definite positives to public school, including we wouldn't have to pay tuition, I am still unsure about it.  I will admit to having a bias against public schools.  I never attended a public school until I was in graduate school.  All through elementary, junior high and high school I attended private, parochial schools.  As an undergraduate, I attended a private liberal arts college.  It wasn't until getting my master's degree that I attended a public university.  So I will admit to being biased towards private school.  It is what I know and what I experienced and I honestly believe I got a wonderful education and made life long friends that are more family than friend because of my attending private, parochial schools.  That being said, I am not opposed to sending my children to public school if I believe that is what is best for them, both academically and socially.  I just have concerns.  Although I hear lots of wonderful things about our public school I do hear some not so great things, including some not so great things about some of the teachers.  From what I have heard, there are two of the four kindergarten teachers that I absolutely would not want my children to have, particularly John David.  I just don't think he would respond well to them or do well in their classrooms.  Plus, while I know it is comparatively small, just 4 kindergarten classes with 20 children each, that is much bigger than St. Mark's and bigger than many of the parochial schools in the area.  I know there are positives to both a "bigger" school and a school with only one kindergarten class.

We have also visited one of the Catholic schools here in town and have tours set up to visit other parochial schools in the area.  The school we have already toured we really liked.  It has the small, family like atmosphere that The Cathedral School had, which puts me more at ease.  We know some families and teachers at this school and hear wonderful things.  They are all very happy there.  Some of our former Cathedral School family is at this school and they love it.  Here there is only one kindergarten class. Everyone knows everyone.  There is more opportunity for one on one interaction.  Here we know the kindergarten teacher and have no worries about John David being in her class.  There are lots of positives.  There are also negatives.  It costs money.  Compared to lots of other parochial schools in town, it is relatively inexpensive but it still isn't "free" or at least already paid through with my tax money like public school is.  And while thinking of sending one child there isn't overwhelming, the thought of paying tuition for four children IS.  I know.  I made the decision to have four children so I have to pay for them.  I know this.  And knowing this I would still have every one of my babies.  It is only money after all.  But when you are thinking about having a baby or about having another baby, somehow you don't think about paying tuition times 2 or 3 or 4.  There are also downsides to being in a school that small and I recognize that.

The whole school decision is causing me lots of mommy stress.  I know all parents want to do what is best for their children.  I know I am not the only one who is worrying about where to send their children to school.  I guess I should feel lucky that I have options, good options.  I just worry.  It is one of the things I am best at doing.  I worry that whatever decision we make it won't be the right one.  I worry we will make the decision with our wallet instead of our head, or our head instead of our hearts. I know we can always change our minds.  I know we can change schools if the one we choose doesn't work out, or circumstances change.  You just can't get that first kindergarten experience back.  I don't want to ruin it for him.   And so I am trying to stop worrying and put my trust in God and in my husband and myself.  God gave me John David.  He made me his mother and I know what is best for him.  I have to trust that we will make the right decision for him.  But sometimes, putting aside that worry just isn't easy for me to do.

International Day of the Girl

Yesterday was International Day of the Girl.  And though I'm a day behind, as a mother of two girls I want to celebrate my girls and girls everywhere.

The International Day of the Girl was established by the United Nations last year in recognition of the importance of investing in girls and the unique challenges girls face in accessing education, health care, and economic opportunity.  The Day of the Girl is about highlighting, celebrating, discussing and advancing girls lives and opportunities across the globe.  Girls have made significant progress in recent years; however, the fact remains that in many societies, girls are still valued less than boys.  Worldwide, two-thirds of the 130 million children who are not in school are girls; more than 25,000 girls under the age of 18 are married every day, and in the developing world, one-third of girls are married before they turn 18.

So here's to my girls.  I love you both...All the way to the moon and back.

Happy Birthday GiGi!

Happy Birthday to GIGI!!!

Today GiGi, my grandmother and my children's great grandmother, hence the name GiGi, turns 87 years old.

Here is a picture of four generations of my family.  Gigi, my mom, my sister and I, and John David.  He was around a year old in this picture.

Here is another four generations picture.  This time just the girls.  Gigi, my mom, me, and Ella.

We are celebrating tonight with a family dinner.  Mom is in charge of dinner and I took dessert.  Homemade flan. I must give the credit to husband and Natalie Morales from the Today Show.  I saw a segment last week where Natalie Morales had made her homemade, low fat flan for everyone to try.  It sounded easy and looked delicious.  After looking up the recipe husband and I decided we needed to try it out and Gigi's birthday bash gave us the perfect opportunity.  It truly was very simple.  If you want to check out the recipe click here.  Husband did all the work last night while I supervised so I give him all the credit.  I can't wait to taste it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIGI. 

WE LOVE YOU!

A Few Exciting Things

So this week we actually had a few exciting things happen other than the basic school, carpool, run errands, kind of stuff.

First,  look who's back.

Yep...the Little Professor.  Harrison with glasses.  No, we didn't find the ones he "misplaced,"unfortunately. He got new ones.  And this time the frames are blue to match his eyes.

Isn't he handsome.

This one is cruising.  Nothing is safe anymore.  Plus she has started climbing stairs.  YIKES!!!  Time to get the baby gates out of storage.

She looks like she is plotting her next move.

A surprise package on the doorstep.

The Cincinnati crew, aka John Robert, Anna, and Jessica, sent the children a back to school package, complete with sticker books for the three older ones and a new board book for Ava.  It even included the cutest note with original poem for the kids.  I give Jessica all the credit for the poem.

Family dinner night with Grandma, PaPa, GiGi, and the six of us.  I cooked.

Yummy chicken and white bean chili (see below for the recipe) served with our favorite cornmeal cheddar scones that I blogged about here.

Peach & blueberry cobbler made from the peaches and blueberries we picked over the summer.  Before the crust.

Rolling out the crust

Looks delicious!

White Bean Chili

(This recipe is taken from the all-new ultimate Southern Living Cookbook)

1 Medium Onion, chopped

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

8 Skinned and boned chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

3 Cups water

1 tsp. Salt

2 tsp. Ground cumin
1 tsp. Chili powder
1 tsp. Dried oregano
4 (15 oz) cans Cannellini or great Northern beans, rinsed, drained and divided
1 (14 oz) can Chicken broth
1 (16 oz) package frozen shoepeg white corn
2 )4.5 oz) cans chopped green chiles
3 Tbsp. lime juice

Saute chopped onion in hot oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat 7 minutes; add garlic, and saute 2 to 3 minutes.  Stir in chicken pieces, and cook, stirring constantly, until chicken is lightly browned.  Stir in 3 cups water and next 5 ingredients; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often, 10 minutes or until chicken is done.

Place 2 cans of beans in a blender; add brother, and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides.

Stir bean puree, remaining 2 cans of beans, corn, and chiles into chicken mixture in Dutch oven; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often, 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Stir in lime juice just before service.

I have made this recipe multiple times and everyone loves it.  It really isn't hard, is low calorie and low fat, the recipe makes a lot, and it freezes well.  When I make it we usually eat about half of it and I freeze the rest for one of those winter days when I just don't feel like cooking.

For the peach & blueberry cobbler I really didn't follow a recipe.  But here is basically what I did.  I defrosted about 2 cups of sliced peaches and another  1 1/2 cups of blueberries.  I placed these in a large sauce pan with about 1/2 to 3/4 cups of sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla, a "good shake" of ground nutmeg and a smaller "shake" of ground cinnamon, as well as about 2 teaspoons of cornstarch to thicken the mixture.  I cooked the fruit for about 10 minutes, until it started simmering slightly and the blueberries started to pop.  I just made a single crust cobbler so I just poured my cooked fruit into the square pan and topped with an easy pie crust, cut slits in the top and baked at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until brown.  You could use a store bought pie crust if you prefer but I honestly believe homemade pie crusts taste SO MUCH BETTER.  If you have never made a pie crust before here is the simple recipe.

Pie Crust

1 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup shortening
4 to 5 tablespoons cold water
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

Stir together flour and salt.  Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are the size of peas.

Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon or water over the mixture and gently toss with a fork.  Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl.  Repeat using 1 tablespoon water at a time until the dough is moistened.  Form dough into a ball.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a circle (or in this case square) and transfer to pie plate or pan.

That's all there is to it.

Hope you have a few exciting things happen to you this week.