Weeks and Years

This little miss is 10 weeks this week. (Really?!)

and

Last week we celebrated 3 years.

(gosh we look so young)

It was a wonderful anniversary day and weekend. Seth and I were able to get away for a night and left little A with Jess so we could celebrate and continue our annual tradition. I have to say, I missed her terribly and I really wanted to come home after a couple hours being away, but once I got over that we had a great time and I knew that she was in good hands.

my two loves

They both fill my heart with so much happiness.

Meeps in Utero

Check them out here.

Many thanks to our favoritest Kristen for these beautiful pictures.

Not for the fainthearted.

Meet Baby A. Happy changing table baby. Sometimes her tummy rumbles and she poops. A lot.
A few weeks ago, when she was getting up at 4am for a feeding. I proceeded as normal.

Stumbled out of bed.
Greeted screaming baby.
Put baby on changing table.
Cleaned up very messy diaper and little bum.
Put fresh diaper on.

[pause]

Somewhere between throwing the old diaper out and putting the fresh one on, she exploded.
Not once, twice.

The end result.

Not only did it splatter on the lamp shade, she also got some on the wall. You can't see that anymore thanks to my stellar cleaning skills, but there was no saving the lampshade. I wish I could say I went out that following day and bought a new shade, but it remains until I can find one that actually fits the lamp. Too bad Target stopped making that shade.

Somehow in the midst of all the early morning chaos I managed to avoid it all and stumbled back into bed completely clean.

The many names of Audrey

Baby A, Little Meeps, Meeper, Monkey, Monkeytron (more on that later), Monk, Munch, Munchie, Little love, and the list could go on.

I'm just wondering when she is going to figure out what her real name is.

Spoiled.

Baby girl slept from 10pm to 7:30am last night. Big milestone for Little Meeps. I think that is her longest stretch yet. So very grateful for a baby who sleeps and lets her mama sleep too!

8 weeks.

Happy 8 weeks little love!

Where did all the time go? I can hardly believe it. She is growing up way too fast. I never understood other Mom's when they said that, but now I really do. I feel nostalgic already about the weeks that have passed. Audrey truly has brought so much joy to our lives and we love her more with each passing day.

She is developing a very sweet temperment. She still has the diva in her that she showed in full force on day one, but she has become so much more smiley and happy. Yesterday at the end of the day I thought to myself, "wow, I hardly heard her cry at all today." She smiles at me when I go get her out of her crib in the morning and has rediscovered her fingers with her coordination improving. She loves her time with Daddy when he comes home from work and loves when he gives her baths. I think she is going to be our little swimmer, because now she cries when we take her out of the bath unlike her early bath days.

We can't imagine our lives without our sweet baby girl. We feel so so blessed.

Habit-forming

Less than an hour after birth.

7 weeks.

I think we are in trouble.

More Recipes

The month after she was born we were brought many yummy meals, I had to pass these recipes along from some of the meals we enjoyed so much.

Laura brought us Baked Lentils with Cheese (recipe from Susan Jansen).

Becca brought us Spicy Black Bean, Chorizo, and Turnip Soup. This is what's for dinner tonight and instead of Bec's making it for us, I'm returning the favor and making it for her.

And I am working on getting a tortilla soup recipe from Jenne, a chicken soup with quinoa recipe from LB, and a mexican recipe from Pami. Since I haven't gotten the tortilla soup recipe, I used this one from Megan Russell last night for dinner. I simmered it all day, added avocado, and it was perfect. For GF eaters, I got both my Chicken/Beef broth from Trader Joes.

The Many [Happy] Faces of Baby A

Don't you just want to eat her up? I just adore my happy girl.

Don't mind her unbuttoned drawers this was just after she got a clean diaper on. Contrary to her earlier days, diaper changes (especially on her changing table) are her favorite times, but I can't really figured out why.

If she is anything like her Mama, sleep is what makes her day. The past few nights she has been sleeping 7-8 consecutive hours and going down for the night around 10:30ish with a little cat nap just before. Hooray!

Back in the saddle again

I've turned a corner and after having meals brought to us by dear friends for a whole month (thank you!) I have gotten back into the swing of things and started meal planning again. For dinner last night I made this new recipe from Martha Stewart and it was quick and easy to get preparations done in advance.

BROWN-RICE BOWL WITH SHRIMP, SNOW PEAS AND AVOCADO

Serves 4.

• Coarse salt and ground pepper

• 1 c. uncooked long-grain brown rice

• 1/4 c. soy sauce (I use the GF brand, Tinkyada)

• 1/4 c. fresh lemon juice (from 1 to 2 lemons)

• 2 tbsp. rice vinegar

• 2 tsp. light-brown sugar

• 1 tbsp. olive oil

• 1 lb. peeled and deveined medium shrimp, thawed if frozen

• 1/2 lb. snow peas, trimmed and halved on the diagonal

• 1 (1-in.-long) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks (I just used 1 teaspoon of dried)

• 1 Hass avocado, pitted and cut into chunks

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring 2 cups salted water to a boil. Add rice; cover, reduce heat to low and cook until rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 45 to 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl or liquid-measuring cup, stir together soy sauce, lemon juice, vinegar and brown sugar until sugar is dissolved. Set sauce aside.

When rice has finished cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, snow peas and ginger; season with salt and pepper. Cook until shrimp are opaque throughout and snow peas are bright green, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Divide rice among four bowls. Top with shrimp mixture and avocado; serve sauce on the side.

our.litte.chunk.