Last Week of Maternity Leave

Sadly, my maternity leave is coming to an end.  I'm so fortunate to have had a nice break getting Palmer settled into the world.  Next week, I return to work and will put Palmer in the very capable hands of my sister for two months.  Then, Palmer will start nursery school in the fall.

Palmer and I made the most of our last week together.

We celebrated Samantha's birthday over a swanky dinner:

Palmer had a playdate at his friend Charlie's pool:

We sang our little hearts out at Kindermusik with Miss Lisa:

We went to the library's infant story hour.  (Even better, this library branch is located inside the mall.  So we *might* have done a little shopping, too!)

And Palmer mastered a new toy, the bouncy seat:

I'll miss being at home, but know that Palmer is going to have a fun two months with Aunt Samantha.
Can you tell that I just love this little drool monster?

And as always...
WHAT'S FOR DINNER:
BBQ TOSTADAS:  Okay, this combo sounds crazy, but give it a try.  Southern Living had the tostadas listed last month and I made it over the weekend.  It was a good summer dish away from the hot stove. (I especially recommend the Jicama Cole Slaw in this recipe) http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/easy-barbecue-tostadas-50400000112166/

PAULA DEEN'S CHOCOLATE BUTTER CAKE:  No, this is not healthy.  But, it's really really good.  And yes, there is a lot of butter in it.  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/double-chocolate-gooey-butter-cake-recipe/index.html

COOK'S ILLUSTRATED CREAMY GAZPACHO:  This is an excellent summer dish because it's a cold soup that maximizes on so much of the yummy summer produce.  It's one of those recipes that is even better the next day.  http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/COOKS-ILLUSTRATED-CREAMY-GAZPACHO-ANDALUZ-50091152

Side Note: During my maternity leave, I treated this blog as my creative outlet away from work.  Although I promise I will continue to update the blog regularly, I warn you now that the postings may be a little less often as I adjust to being a working mom.

-Bethany

Three Month Update

We've seen so many changes in Palmer over the third month.  He has learned to play independently, gained strength, and is turning into a little boy with a sweet personality.

I know everyone wants to think that their child is a genius and very advanced.  I'm no different, so here are his latest skills:

ROLLING OVER: I still have yet to capture Palmer rolling over on his own (it's only happened a handful of times).  In the meanwhile, here is a video of Palmer rolling over with a little help from daddy.

FRIEND IN THE MIRROR:  Palmer made a new friend this week and likes to talk with him for quite a long time.

Oh- and one problem: No matter how much I tried to avoid the TV, Palmer has discovered its powers and now stares at it.  I'll turn Palmer around away from the TV and he just scooches (I've never tried to spell that word and definitely had to look it up just now) back around to find it.  Oh no.  What am I going to do when he is older and gets in that annoying zone where he won't even look away when I'm talking to him?  Aghh.

Happy third month, Mr. P.

We love you!

-Bethany

Three Months Old

Happy Three Month Birthday, Palmer!

Three Month Stats:
LENGTH: 25 inches
WEIGHT: 14 lb, 4 oz

-Bethany

It's Canning Season!

Last summer, I took a class on canning and preserving.  Unfortunately, not too long after the class, I entered my first trimester of pregnancy and had absolutely no interest in being near the kitchen.

This summer I have been looking forward to the peak produce season so that I can stock our pantry with some goodies.  Rick and Palmer joined me at the Farmer's Market to help pick out the fruits and veggies.

(Note the careful planning of putting Palmer in the Bjorn so that we can use the stroller for the food!)

 After several days, here is the bounty: 12 jars of tomatoes (hello, winter tomato soup!), 3 jars of pickled peaches, 4 jars of candied jalapenos, and 1 jar of bread and butter pickles.  

I still want to do some okra, but I've had enough for a few days...
-Bethany

Happy Father's Day

 Palmer surprised Daddy with matching father and son polos for Father's Day.  Palmer's was a little big since 2T is the smallest size Vineyard Vines carries, but it sure looks like it won't be too long before he'll fit into it.

Rick enjoyed a morning "off" and headed out to the golf course.  I assured him that soon enough Palmer would join him on the greens (and mommy would be "off" instead!).  We joined Rick for brunch after his round.

We had big plans to go to the pool for the afternoon, but the 104 degree temps scared us away and we had a nice relaxing Sunday afternoon at home instead.

Daddy's Little Wingman.  (This would be the third outfit of the day for those of you keeping score.)

Doesn't Palmer look big sitting up in the couch?

 "Oh Boston, you just always have to be by me, don't you?"

Happy Father's Day, Rick.

-Bethany

Confession Time

My local gym has free childcare and that has been great because it has allowed me to try to get back into pre-baby shape.  Lately, the lure of the gym has not been the workout as much as the baby-free shower/get ready time afterwards.  I've come to love my little gym locker room.  It's nothing fancy, but it's a little break of quiet time just for me during the day.

This morning the temps were only in the lower 90s and breezy (instead of the beating 100 degrees), so I went for a run with the stroller in the neighborhood instead.

Here comes the dilemma:  When I got home, I was completely covered in sweat and Palmer was completely awake and wanted to play.

What did I do?  Well, I packed my bag, headed to the gym, dropped Palmer off at the childcare, pretended to do a little weight lifting, and about 5 minutes later headed to the locker room to take a shower.

I might be a bad mom, but a clean mom is a happy mom.  :)

-Bethany

Fun In The Kitchen

Palmer has learned to entertain himself and is less reliant on needing to be held all the time.  It's a wonderful joy to see him laugh at his toys without me by his side.

I have set up a little play area in the kitchen and it's great because I am able to cook, put away dishes, etc. while he plays his little heart out.

I've hung toys from the refrigerator door and Palmer loves to stare up at them.  He also loves his giraffe.  It's the first time I've really seen him grab onto a toy and feel the soft textures of an object.  He'll catch sight of the giraffe's face and crack up.  I love it.

And since I'm in the kitchen again...

WHAT'S FOR DINNER?

This is week 2 of the dinner coop experiment and so far, it's been a huge success.  The Jordan family is contributing chicken lettuce wraps and a raw kale salad this week.  I swear, we get more kale in the organic produce bin than I can handle, so I am always eager to try new recipes with the green.  And of course, Rick turns his nose up at the kale almost every week.  He lives such a rough life... (roll my eyes)

BON APPETIT'S CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/2011/06/lettuce-cups-with-stir-fried-chicken  I added carrots and shallots (again, an abundance of sustenance from the organic produce bin) and water chestnuts for crunch.

RAW KALE SALAD: http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=32067.0  I added carrots and radishes to this recipe.

SUMMER CORN SALAD:  http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/sweet-corn-salad/ This recipe is so fresh tasting and delicious.  I highly recommend it, especially with the 100 degree temps we are seeing these days.

And because I can't resist this smile, here's a parting shot of Mr. P:

-Bethany