Milkymilk

Nerding Out, Birth Time Line

I've been meaning to write Harper's birth story for almost a year now.  It seemed like something that should be done long before her first birthday, or a few days before.  As soon as I gave birth, I lost interest in giving birth.  So, to jazz it up, I made it into a time line!  With pretty colors!  (Hey now, it is not like a power point with graphic photos.  It could be worse.)  

Enough Sprinkles Can Make Anything Look Tasty

Spring has sprung again, for the moment at least. 

When Harper woke up from her morning nap today, she sneezed.  It was an unusual sneeze in that more snot came out of her right nostril than I realized could fit in her head.  It was so amazing and gross, I only wish I could have shared it with someone, like food that tastes awful.

Like these cupcakes.  They look so good, but they suck.  I'm not trying to be modest here.  They are bad.  So, the saga of Harper's first Birthday cake continues, failure never tasted so good.

I digress, the baby has a cold.  Hopefully this explains her recent screaming fits, and hopefully she will never ever have anything closely resembling a tantrum again.  One can only hope.  Almost equally as shocking as the amount of fluid that came out of her nose today (OMG!  When do they learn to blow their noses?) is my baby, the one who will eat anything and everything, curry, blue cheese, dirt, cat food, raw onion, will not drink juice.  Come on now!  Babies love juice!  No.  She even turned down apple juice, in favor of water.  Silly girl.    

Snow & Lies

Oh, February.  One minute spring has sprung, and the next winter has come in and pooped all over you.  

It snowed this weekend.  I must be masochistic, though, because I love it.  There are probably only a few more snows left before we can truly break free from the cold and ick.  By the end of August, this is what I'll miss.  I'm trying to soak it in, enjoy it, tuck these moments and memories away for the hot hot summer.

(The stranger has not come back for his shovel and trash can.  Most likely for fear I'll call the police, again.)

You may or may not remember my ambivalence and ultimate decision to take away Harper's pacifier months and months ago.  I lied to you.  I never took it away.  Here is the photographic evidence:

I'm coming clean for a reason here, as part of a bigger question.  When and where do you draw the line as a parent?  For instance, she will be a year old this weekend, do I begin limiting pacifier time?

She has also found her 'voice.'  By voice I mean the most blood curtailing scream I have heard outside of a horror film.  Every time I hear it I want to hide under a blanket and yell at the T. V., "Don't run into the kitchen!"  Then I realize it is not the best idea to hide from my baby.  The scream is mostly about things we take away from her, like her favorite hazardous objects.  Do I ignore it?  Is comforting her only teaching her that her highest pitch loudest sound is the most effective way of communicating her wants and needs?  Is she too young to know better, or learn?  Should I just stock up on ear plugs and pascifiers, and forget about it?  

Cake for Babies

Harper was not a big fan of the Guinness Cupcakes.  I guess babies are not so into beer. 

 

They do love bananas.  (They also love avocados, but I don't think that would lend itself well to cake form.)  This morning I threw together a banana upside down cake*.  I know it seems like I must have a ridiculous amount of spare time this week.  Well, I do.  

But, this cake really took like 10 minutes to make, and only dirtied two bowls.  I thought it would be a good time saver birthday cake, because you don't have to frost it.  Stick a candle in it, and you are done. 

 

It was good, however the search for the perfect first birthday cake (or cupcakes) continues...

*I omitted the semisweet chocolate chips in the recipe, but think bittersweet chocolate chunks would help it out.  The banana cake part is pure perfection, and would make the bestest low-fat banana bread ever.  The brown sugar/banana upside down part was too sweet for me, personally.   

Lemon Lost

Yesterday was sunny and almost warm.  The trees are beginning to make itty bitty baby buds, that will someday become leaves.  Winter is far from over, but spring is on its way.

Harper spent most of her waking hours walking outside, investigating bits and pieces lost in the snow long ago.  She found endless amounts of paper fliers, rubber bands, a box, but her most prized finds were an orange and a lemon, both pretty disintegrated.

I spent her sleeping hours making Guinness Cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.  Some might think that sounds like a abject day, but, to us, it was beautiful.