Fun Experiment with Liam!

I have been having such a great time this summer with all of my classes, namely my Infant Development class.  It is so amazing learning in-depth information on just how babies develop.  Their minds are working overtime and their bodies grow so fast.  Well I was reading about how the child's brain develops and the frontal cortex kicks into overdrive around 18 months.  This is the time when children develop their inner thought process (part of what contributes to the terrible two's) and they begin to notice themselves as their own beings.  So when they see themselves in the mirror they actually realize that they are looking at a reflection of themselves and not "another" one of themselves.  Well there is a little experiment that you can do to see if your baby has developed this yet.  Take them to a mirror, preferably a floor mirror and let them check out their reflection.  Then move them away from the mirror and put a smudge of red lipstick on the forehead and let them go back to the mirror and check themselves out again.  If your child tries to find the baby behind the mirror or doesn't notice the lipstick they haven't developed that thought process yet.  But, if your baby touches their forehead (not the mirror forehead) then they realize that they are looking at a reflection of themselves in the mirror.  The fun part is that sometimes they smear makeup all over the place.  I tried this with Liam today and he was totally oblivious, he is only 11 months but I can't help myself when it comes to trying new experiments with him!  Try this with your toddlers and enjoy the fun!

My great shopping adventure!

I love avon lip gloss, no joke.  It is amazing and moisturizing.  I love tickled pink, clear and they have this amazing gold gloss that is gorgeous!

Gap jeans are my new obsession.  These are the long and lean style and they are the most flattering jeans ever!  I am short too don't let the name fool you, they are gorgeous!

Kevyn Aucoin lip pencil in medium nude.  I got another one of these at Sephora and I can't rave about it enough.  I literally wear it everyday and my friends and family have asked if I got my lips done!  No darlings I use this amazing pencil!

Okay I have been a Maybeline Great Lash junkie forever.  In March my Aunt bought me this mascara, it is Lancome Hypnose Drama.  I will never use another mascara EVER.  It makes my lashes look so long and think and fabulous!

I bought these on Sunday at Nordstrom.  They are part of the Anniversary sale right now and are 2 for $50.  They are so flattering and the colors are beautiful.  I got the purple and the black!



  I wore my Gap jeans and this tank to my birthday dinner last night! 

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

Yes, today is my birthday.  Today is the day that I go from twenty-something into an entirely new realm.  I have to admit I am kind of freaked out about being 30!  Not that I feel old but I still feel like I am a 15 year old know it all that is posing as a housewife and mom.  So, as I sit at my computer listening to Howard Stern this morning (like I do every morning, I LOVE HIM) I am reflecting on the things that I am grateful to have.   I feel so lucky to have such an amazing man as my husband.  He makes it his goal to make every wish that I have come true.  Case in point this weekend he took my shopping (he hates to shop) for my birthday for two days!  I am lucky to have such an amazing baby Liam.  He has the best personality, never cries, and is cuddly like his mommy.  I am lucky to have an amazing family that lets me know how much I am loved and they support me all the time! 

Fun Friday!

So I attempted to teach Liam some new dance moves, this is what I got! Enjoy!

Mr. Big is Totally a Boob Man

So, Liam is almost 1! I am so excited and have already begun  planning the party that he could totally care less about.  I have been trying to figure out how to wean him so that he can transition to milk, soy whatever we decide to give him.  I have been giving him a sippy cup for sometime and he has a love hate relationship with it; he likes to take little sips here and there but could really care less about it and throws it all the time.  Today I thought I would give him a sippy cup with formula inside, he took a sip looked at me and tried to root around to get my shirt up.  How am I gonna wean this baby?!  He loves boobs, he loves to nurse!  I have no problem with this because it is great for him and I am with him ALL THE TIME.  I don't think he will want to stop and I don't want to traumatize him and give him a booby complex later in life (LOL).  So, for now I will keep on nursing him because well just because and figure this out later!

Telling Tuesday

I have a confession...I am a total boss control-freak.  I know I am and sometimes I am not proud of it.  I boss everyone one around, sometimes I can do it in a nice way and trick somebody into thinking it was their idea (it totally wasn't). I have freakishly good skills when it comes to this.I have exceptional skills with kids too.  Other times I am a bossaholic but I just can't help it.  My brain doesn't let me let you do things your way.  In the interest of full disclosure I did talk to me therapist about this and it didn't help.  She said I have to learn to let things go, uh I can't, hello?!  I will obsess and pace and fidget until I knock you out of the way so I can do the dishes properly or load the grocery cart up.  Yes my mental behavior joins me on trips to the grocery store, I organize the cart and the conveyor belt so the groceries are bagged properly and they never are.  I cringe at passer by carts like I am watching a bad science experiment.  I am fine with my issues everyone else has the problem. 

Hello Monday!

What a productive weekend!  First of all, I made beef jerkey for the first time and I think it came out great.  I am trying a new recipe today at Jason's request, he likes teriyaki so I am marinating the steak in coke and teriyaki sauce and then will season it later. 

Next, I attempted to make baby food again for Liam!  I made peas, carrots and white potatoes with chicken.  He actually ate it for dinner, so I think this batch was a huge success!! Thanks Megan and Peggy for the baby fresh book!

On to fun stuff...Liam's 1st birthday is next month and I am so excited.  Jason and I have a themed party planned, an outfit and a special cake.  I can't believe that it has almost been a year with this amazing little man.  He has grown so much it truly is amazing to see and be a part of. 

Girls Night!

Last night I got to hang out with my sister-in-law Megan and her sister Selina!  The boys were going out so we decided to have some time of our own laying low.  The girls made chicken, hummus, cucumber, tomato and Selina made homemade pita bread, which was delicious. I made strawberry cupcakes with cream cheese icing.  I know not healthy at all compared to our amazing dinner, but whatever!  Kendall and Liam were protesting naps all afternoon and by 7:30 they were in overdrive.  Kendall was as peaceful as can be but Liam was something else.  He ate chicken, pita, hummus, yogurt melts, cherrios and then refused to go to sleep.  So needless to say at 8 I was out of there and on my way home! Liam fell asleep in the car before I even got out of Gilbert.  This was really a nice night just goofing around and talking which I Love to do!  It makes me reflect on how much I love spending time with my family!

TGIF!

I love Friday and especially Friday nights.  Most Fridays I clean house like a lunatic because I love a clean house on the weekends.  Friday nights we relax and do nothing and it feels so good.  I am hoping for a thunderstorm or a monsoon, we have been jipped so far this summer.  Oh well.  So here is a little of what I am obsessing over lately. This gorgeous boot by Michael Kors is on sale at Nordstrom right now! And this adorable purse too.  I am dreaming of cooler days when I can actually wear these boots and carry this bag! 

Changing Hands

I love Changing Hands bookstore in Tempe! I have been a Bookmans girls since I was in highschool and now I am a convert. It is attached to Wildflower Bread Company, which has the best lemonade, and is totally fantastic. They have an amazing kids selection and parenting section. I traded in books that I was itching to get rid of and managed to get $65 dollars in credit! I picked some fun new books to add to Liam's collection. Here are just a few of what I got and everything was on sale!

Funday Monday!

We had a lovely weekend although the weather was awful! Jason and I were inspired by the show Cupcake Wars on the Food Network and decided to have our own little bake off. We took Liam to the grocery and picked our ingredients. I just bought a pint of strawberry's and cream cheese and Jason got cake mix, pudding, whipping cream. I had to ask if he had a plan and he said "Yep" so I let him do his thing. We came home and got to mixing! I made strawberry cupcakes with a strawberry icing that didn't work out so I used it as a filling instead. Jason made banana cream cupcakes (like banana cream pie) with whip cream and graham cracker icing. Both cupcakes came out tasting amazing! Here is the recipe for my strawberry cupcakes...

Strawberry Cupcakes!
2¼ cups flour
1½ cups sugar
2¾ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1½ sticks butter (room temperature)
½ pint fresh strawberries (about ½ cup)
4 egg whites
1/3 cup buttermilk
1.Preheat oven to 350°F

2.Clean strawberries and blend in blender or food processor, set aside.

3.In a bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; set aside for later.

4.In an electric mixer, blend butter with strawberries. Add flour mixture and blend until light and fluffy.

5.In measuring cup pour milk and separate egg whites. Whisk together egg whites and milk. Add whites slowly into the batter mixture.

6.Fill cupcake liners halfway. Bake for 18-20 minutes

Strawberry Icing (filling)
•¼ cup butter (room temperature)
•1cup (8 oz package) cream cheese (room temperature)
•½ cup strawberries (blend in a blender or food processor)
•3-4 cups powdered sugar (depending on how sweet or stiff you like icing)

1.Cream butter and cream cheese together.
2.Mix in strawberry puree.
3.Add your sugar!

My mixture came out very runny I would suggest adding more cream cheese so that you can taste it and stiffen up the icing.

Oh Thursday...

So I have been on a quest to try and conserve as much energy in the house as possible. Last summer my electric bill in July was $599. No that is not a joke I am serious. So I raised the thermostat from 78 to 80 and have stopped using the oven! I have been a power nazi around the house yelling "NO DRYER!" to Jason every time he goes near it(he likes to fluff all of his clothes before he puts them on, sometimes the fluffing lasts for an hour). I am going to try a no-bake and see how it comes out.

In Liam news...he is now saying uh-oh! This morning he tossed his soap out of the tub and said uh-oh. He also has a game he is playing with Jason where Jason throws his hands in the air and Liam does it too yelling the entire time.

I have been inspired...

I have been inspired to be more creative, do more homework, workout more and yada yada yada. I want to be a gourmet cook like Selina (my sister-in laws sister, she is amazing at cooking. She is also super funny because she says things that I think about saying and it makes me laugh. I want to make more stuff, I have a million ideas bouncing around in my head and I just need to find a way to get them out and complete. My homework is coming along just fine, I started it early this week and will be done with it tomorrow!

I also was inspired recently to go to Goodwill in search of toys. I hit the jackpot today! Liam got:

Chicco Frog Spinner
Vtech Move and Crawl Ball
Fisher-Price Ocean Wonders Sights & Sounds Table
Pull Dinasour
Little Tikes Push & Ride Racer
A Drum Toy
and 10 books!