And so it begins....

I find myself on a daily basis asking myself "I am sorry, who is this kid?!" My baby is growing up so fast! Her new trick is to pull herself up the side of the crib. She is so proud every time we walk into the room. I feel as though we are checking milestone after milestone off the list and I am utterly exhausted now that we have TWO small, MOVING people in our home (most of the time going in opposite directions).

Riley has deemed a few "pet names" for herself. We started out with "Riley Bug" because three weeks into life we learned that all she could do was SMILE.....so she then became "Smiley Riley" (still living up to the name)....these days I am considering changing it to "Princess" or better yet....DIVA!

*My mom had to remind me that I am basically owed some cranky baby time, due to the fact that she really was such a good baby for the first 7 months, and for the most part still is And to that I say "ummm.....no! Why can't I just have a good baby?"

Smiley Riley can cop a "Tude" in seconds, don't let her deceive you!!! The girl hates to have her clothes changed (seriously!? she's a girl, all girls love to change clothes, right?!), she hates to have her mouth wiped (again, I thought girls liked to be clean?!), on top of that....she has learned to throw temper-tantrums at a very early age when she doesn't get what she wants or your are "messing with her" (aka, changing her clothes/diaper, wiping her mouth, etc). I remember these phases with Hudson, but they don't seem like phases with Riley, they seem more like glimpses into her personality. Don't get me wrong, I love my baby girl! I have wanted a little girl since before I was married. But the difference in the drama levels between my son and my daughter are mind blowing at times. Hudson does it for attention, Riley does it because you have rocked her world and

SHE WANTS YOU TO KNOW IT!

Is it just me?! Are all girls this dramatic as babies?!

Her new accomplishment! So proud.

(her "normal" demeanor)

Disclaimer: I was fully aware of my baby's surroundings while documenting her temper tantrum...I just needed proof!)

Just getting started....(i don't remember why?)

She flailed herself back.

Rolled to a different part of the bed....

and now its over!

Do you get my point?

Dinner made easier: Black Beans and Sausage

I love trying new recipes. I love trying new, easy recipes even more. I have had this one in my back pocket for a few weeks and was so excited to finally try it! (have I mentioned I am a huge procrastinator?!) Two magazines I actually subscribed to are Food Network Magazine and Everyday FOOD magazine by Martha Stewart. Yes, I know Martha Stewart seems daunting at times. I think of weird/foreign ingredients and fancy presentations (nothing edible for a two year old). But I LOVE Everyday FOOD. Every issue has a week long meal plan with grocery list included. (I have yet to use the whole week plan, but its a great "go to" for those without picky eaters) She also puts a recipe from the "Cookie Jar" in the back each month.

Super fun and usually very simple.

Tonight, I used slight substitutions and it turned out GREAT!

(Toddler approved!)

Serves 4

Took me about 30 mins to make

2tsp Olive Oil

1lb kielbasa or other smoked sausage (i used Turkey Sausage) cut into 1 inch pieces.

3 medium carrots (I had shredded carrots on hand so I just used a hand-full and chopped them up)

2 shallots (i just used a medium white onion) chopped

Salt and pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced (i used minced garlic from a jar)

2 cans (15oz) black beans (i used 3)

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I totally drained a can of chicken noodle soup into my skillet...like I said- EASY!! and it was on hand!

3 tablespoons chopped parsley (left it out)

plain yogurt or sour cream to top (i really wished I had either on hand)

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add sausage, brown on both sides. Set aside. Add onion and carrots to skillet, cook until they begin to soften. Season with S&P. Add garlic. Cook until fragrant (Oh Martha!) Add black beans and chicken broth, bring to a boil. Add sausage back into the skillet, reduce heat til rapid simmer and carrots are tender (about 12 minutes) remove from heat, stir in parsley. Serve with a dollop yogurt or sour cream and garnish with parsley. VOILA!

Again, mine wasn't so Marth Stewart-ish because I was cooking for a (just recently) picky 2 year old. (and my husband was going to be home later to eat the left-overs, presentation would've mattered!) To say the least- it was a hit!

My favorite part was that I was able to open my fridge and/or pantry and use what I had. I am the world's worst at forgetting one, if not two ingredients at the store for a specific recipe, even if I write it down! So I am ALWAYS missing ingredients! I love that there is room to budge in this recipe, heck you could even throw in some peppers, make it spicy or serve over rice?! Get crazy! Happy Eating!

PS. Hudson had no idea he was eating so healthy (he thought the turkey sausage was a hot dog..hehe) AND earlier today I made whole wheat, pumpkin, chocolate chip....zucchini (ssshhh!) muffins that were also a hit! Yep, this mama has tricks ;)

Let me know what you think!

Homemade Baby Food: Made Easy

When my first kid was ready to eat "solid foods" I was encouraged by a few of my friends to make my own baby food. I love to cook and it would save a few dollars each month. It was easy! When he first started eating these foods, he wasn't very mobile and took naps often. This made for laid back days and a good amount of time to devote to "cooking" for my little eating machine! I loved making my own baby food. When my second came along, I was too tired to even think about making my own food, not to mention my blender had broken a few months before (No, I didn't break it on purpose!) I figured organic, jarred baby food will be just fine! Well then last week, me, my mom and grandmother went to the outlet mall. And what caught my eye, you might ask?! A Cusinart Blender/Food Processor (on sale at William Sonoma). Guess what my grandmother bought me for an early (REALLY EARLY) Christmas present?! You guessed it!! So today I opened my new, beautiful kitchen appliance and got to work. Granted, Riley is 9 months old and will probably be finished with baby-food soon, but my need for chopping, mixing, blending and puree-ing will still be here! Thank you Gram!

Today's menu:

Green Peas, Green Beans, Carrots, and Acorn Squash with Pumpkin

Buying the organic foods is a little more expensive, but in the long run still saves you money.

If the organic kind is not available or really expensive on a certain day....I buy whatever is going to work for my budget and my babies taste buds.

Start off by steaming things like peas, green beans and carrots on the stove until they are soft. (I use bagged baby carrots and frozen peas and green beans)

Put the steamed food in blender

(adding small amounts of water to thin the consistency based on age of your baby)

Puree food, stopping every so often to stir things up and make sure you don't have any chunks of food. Especially bad for younger babies!)

Note: if you have water left in the pot from steaming, use that water first! It has some of the nutrients from the fruits/veggies)

With Squash, you want to cut them in half and scoop the "guts" out (i use an ice cream scoop)

turn them upside down (skin facing upward) in a baking dish and pour water in the dish. Water should not cover the squash just go up the sides maybe an inch.

Bake at 375 for about 35-45mins depending on the size of the squash.

You want it to be soft when its finished.

Let cool, so you don't burn yourself! Scoop the insides of the squash, making sure no skin gets in the blender. And puree just like the other veggies! (Same thing, I would add the water from the baking dish if there is any left)- Today I added 100% Natural Pumpkin Puree to the squash, making it a little more festive! I used a half a can of pumpkin per squash.

In order for it to keep longer, spoon into ice cube trays and freeze them. These are green beans (the least appetizing looking vegetable, sorry) and I had a 32 oz frozen bag and it yielded 1.5 trays.

Once they are frozen , pop them out into a Labeled/Dated Gallon Freezer bag

(they can last up to three months in the freezer)

One to Two ice cubes is generally a serving size for babies. You can mix and match the veggies/fruits. And the best part about freezing it- is if you are going out somewhere....just pop two "ice cubes" in a bowl with a lid and they will defrost by the time you need them! Obviously you can add warm water to it or warm them up in the microwave as well.

The Goal: A happy, healthy baby!!

FYI: I still keep jarred baby food around the house, mainly bananas, because they brown really easily and I can't figure it out! and if we need to travel for a few days, I will take store-bought food, only because it doesn't need refrigeration.

Don't just make peas and carrots....branch out! Babies LOVE avocados and mangos (two GREAT things for them...but you don't have to tell them that!)

Let me total my spending Store bought vs. Homemade and I will get back to you on the TRUE number!