Footprints in the Sand

Field Trippin'

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Wed, 30 May 2012 10:24:00 +0000

Yesterday while dropping Nathan off at daycare, his teacher handed me a permission slip in order for Nathan to attend a field trip!

I have to admit that I was both giddy with excitement and a little bid sad. After nearly two years at daycare, Nathan is finally old enough to attend outside activities.

I totally talked up the field trip to Nathan all night. I told him how he would ride the bus, go to the farm and visit the animals.

This morning as he was throwing his usual "I don't want to go to the creche" tantrum. I told him again about the bus, and the farm, and yada yada. The only thing that stuck with him was that he would be riding a bus - and boy was he excited.

The entire ride in to the daycare all he could talk about was the bus this, and the bus that. Screw the farm, this kid was going to ride a bus! He even called me out when we arrived at the parking lot and there was no bus. I had to explain that the bus would come later after all the kids were there. He was hesitant, but armed with his back pack he proudly walked into daycare.

He even told his teachers that he would be riding the bus and wanted to stay by the door. Never under-estimate a kid with a mission.

Field trip days were definitely my favorite part of school, because who doesn't want to skip school for a day and go somewhere new.

Hopefully he will build the same kind of memories. This is yet another milestone that has come much too quickly.

If the field trip fails to impress I guess I can always ride around on the city bus.

Dear Nathan

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Mon, 28 May 2012 20:02:00 +0000

Has it really been two months since we've written you a letter. The past few months have been a little hectic. We've traveled a lot and have done so many things together which hopefully make up for the lack of letters.

You have truly come into your own lately. Your sense of humor is coming out and you keep us laughing non stop. Now that you are officially 2 1/2 you definitely have your "terrible two" moments but they are few and far between. There are moments when you refuse your afternoon naps which can add to the madness. You have also decided that now would be a good time to get two more molars. Just when I thought we were through with the worst of the teething.

Celebrating holidays with you have become so much fun. You are finally starting to understand what is going on which makes the celebrations much more special. You now associate birthdays with cake, candles and you love to sing Happy Birthday whenever you see one or the other.

Throughout all of our travels we have seen you blossom. It is incredible to watch the twinkle and magic in your eyes when you explore new things. You have become so adventerous and have started to come out of your comfort zone. There is no end to the things you will do and try, and traveling with you has become such a joy.

You spent some time with not only your grandparents, but also your great-grandparents. It was amazing to see how much love you had for them even though you hadn't seen them in over a year. You would walk with your grandfather (bunico) hand in hand and would play football with your great-grandfather. You spent time in the country and adapted as if you had spent your entire life on a farm.

I hope that when you grow up you remember all of the love that surrounded you these past few months.

You have truly grown into your role as a big brother and you have become Noah's protector. I love watching you express your feelings and emotions through actions. You hug and kiss him when you think no one is watching and you always ask for him whenever he isn't around. I can only hope that you two will grow to be great friends.

Your personality is absolutely amazing and we can hardly wait to see how you continue to grow. You are truly have such an amazing heart.

We love you.

Love and acceptance

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Wed, 23 May 2012 11:11:00 +0000

I don't get political on my blog because honestly I don't follow politics. Ask me about what celebrity just gave birth and I am a wealth of useless knowledge.

I did, however, see the news about President Obama "evolving" on the Gay Marriage issue. I also saw the thousands of people who praised him for this evolution. Really? Personally, I will praise a President who actually DOES something about it. But that is neither here nor there.

The point of this post is that I am still shocked that there is so much hate and intolerance in this world.

I can only hope that by the time my boys grow up the world will be more open-minded. That my kids will never think that they are better than anyone else. That they never judge a person based on color, religion or sexual preference.

Kids are not born with hate. It is taught, and passed down. We need to stop teaching intolerance to make issues like this disappear.

For the record, Gay marriage does not threaten my marriage in any way.
And we as a family support it 100%.

First Flight

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Tue, 22 May 2012 07:16:00 +0000

A little over a week ago we packed our bags and headed to see Cornel's family in Romania.

Exciting since not only would this be the first time that most of his family would meet Noah but also because this would be Noah's first plane ride.

At nearly five months Noah was no stranger to traveling but first plane rides always make me nervous. Let us not forget the time that I was stranded at the airport with Nathan for over ten hours.

This time, however, we would be traveling as a family and all that entails. Getting through security was an adventure and Nathan wanted nothing more than to keep running through the metal detectors.

Security and customs aside, we all survived the airport and the ride went amazingly well. It looks as if Noah will be a great flyer just like his big brother.

The Ring

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Mon, 21 May 2012 07:31:00 +0000

My engagement ring has always been a point of contention in my marriage. The ring itself is beautiful but certain circumstances have always caused discussion.

A few nights ago while at a hotel in Bucharest I took off my rings to get ready for bed.

Then it happened. My engagement ring slipped out of my hands while in the bathroom. Like the ball in a pinball machine, it bounced around clinking and clanking. I watched its movements almost as if slow motion before I finally saw it fall down the drain.

I gasped, and I think it was one of the few times when I actually gasped out loud. I stared down at the drain as if my mind could magically make the ring float back up.

I then ran into the bedroom and started frantically explaining to Cornel what happened. He called down to the front desk while I feverishly tried to fashion a hook out of a metal coat hanger. In my desperation I must have thought I turned into McGyver.

The front dest called saying that at that late hour there was no maintenance personnel available but that they would send the concierge. Perfect. If he couldn't recover my ring at least he could book my reservation in the looney bin.

Cornel kept trying the coat hanger hook to no avail. Maybe if I would have put some chewing gum on the end I might have been more successful.

The concierge finally arrived in his suit and proceeded to put on yellow rubber gloves. They snapped like surgeon gloves snap before an operation. It was too much to bear, so I went into the bedroom and closed the door.

Within minutes Cornel came back with my ring in hand (no pun intended). The concierge had even been nice enough to wash it off for me. That is what you call four star service! He totally deserved the tip Cornel handed him.

We disposed of the hook and continued with our night. Cornel made a joke that at least it was the ring that I "didn't like". Touché.

Alternative

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:27:00 +0000

I knew that it was bound to happen. Within just one week of starting daycare, Noah was sick. I wasn't surprised. We experienced this downward spiral with Nathan. I was just hoping that it would take longer than a week.

The diagnosis: Bronchitis.

The poor kid was miserable. He had a terrible cough that would keep him up at night and his eyes were red and watery.

We took him to the doctor who could do nothing for us, since this was viral. He did however refer us to a kine-therapist (or physiotherapist in English) to do sessions of breathing treatments (which I later found out was called Chest Physiotherapy).

If you have never heard of this before. It is truly insane. The therapist basically pounds down on the baby's thorax to break up the mucus in the lungs. The pounding is so heavy, however, that you feel like your baby is going to snap in half.

It is truly one of the most horrific things I have ever seen. I had to turn away and finally leave the room. When the session was done, Noah was borderline blue and completely limp from the session.

I seriously could not comprehend how one earth that could possibly be helping him. Yet, here we are 7 sessions in and we can definitely see some improvements. He is breathing much better and his lungs are clear. He is sleeping through the night again and he is back to his happy go lucky self.

I know that these sessions defenitley helped him get rid of the things he couldn't get rid of himself. I am truly grateful that our pediatrician referred us rather than loading up Noah with drugs that wouldn't have done him any good.

I, however, will refrain from participating in any future sessions because my emotional well being cannot handle it. Luckily he is at an age where he won't remember a thing.

Doesn't he look cute waiting for session?

Missing

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Wed, 02 May 2012 10:25:00 +0000

Last week my Facebook feed started blowing up with pictures of this beautiful little girl, Isabel Celis.

She was reportedly abducted from her bed in the middle of the night. She is still missing. {read her story here}

Stories of missing children always pull at me. I just simply cannot imagine the pain that the family is going through. I cannot fathom the not knowing about where my children are sleeping and whether or not they are safe. The thought of it alone is enough to make me sick to my stomach.

And while we hear stories like this everyday, this one hit close to home. You see, Isabel's mother went to my high school. She graduated two years ahead of me. I graduated with her younger brother. Isabel's grandmother is friends with my mom. Isabel's aunt is a close friend of my sister and they graduated together.

This happened back "home". This could have been any of my own nieces and nephews. This could have been my children, since we always visit the area.

You never imagine this happening in your own back yard; to people you know.

And while I rarely ever do things like this on my blog, I ask that you pray. Pray for Isabel. Pray for her family. Just keep her in your thoughts today. Hug your children extra tight tonight and remember that not all parents have that luxury.

Le Potty

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:05:00 +0000

As soon as this year started we knew that we had to begin potty training Nathan. With him turning 3 at the end of the year he would have to be enrolled in preschool (ecole maternelle), where they do not change diapers.

It's kind of frustrating since school is mandatory which means so is the potty training. There is definitely no "wait until he's ready" mentality.

So with the big third birthday looming and the pre-school deadline approaching we knew something had to be done.

I had all of these great intentions of training Nathan while I was on my four month maternity leave. I thought four months would be plenty of time to train Nathan, and then I had a baby and well you know how that goes. So Nathan stayed in diapers.

It was disappointing but I figured I had until January. WRONG. I really should have informed myself about the school process because as it turns out Nathan has to go starting in September.

Completely stressed, I asked my husband for help. We decided to try potty training - cold turkey.

We started on a Saturday and let Nathan run around only in pants. Let me say that we spent most of the day on our hands and knees while going through a roll of paper towels.

I was thinking by this point that I would have to homeschool because he would much rather pee on the couch than approach the potty.

Sunday was much better with only a few minor accidents to speak of. As for Monday, he asked for the potty right away. Success.

Two weeks later here we are with Nathan fully potty trained during the day. He even asks for the potty daycare.

I never though Nathan would be ready for potty training. Ready schmready. I am not sure if I believe this "wait until they are ready" mentality. Who knows, maybe Noah will come around in two years and throw a curve ball my way.

The only thing I know for sure is that my life is so much easier only changing one baby's diapers.

Job Lovin'

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:08:00 +0000

I almost never write about work or my job. This is mostly on purpose since I am sure that my company name is Googled often.

I have been with the same company for 7 years now, I was a baby when I started (ok, in my very early twenties).

I have had several positions: audit, finance and the like. I have had my good days and my bad days; my good bosses and bad bosses.

There have been days where I have wanted to just walk out and quit but then better judgment prevails.

In fact, I am truly lucky to work where I work, here's why:

I have traveled the world. Thanks to my job I have had the chance to travel to some places I would never seen otherwise, like Poland.

They have given me the opportunity to live abroad. Living in a different country for a few years is the opportunity of a lifetime!

They have their own daycare. I love that my kids are right down the road. I love that they allow me to go and nurse Noah whenever I can.

They have their own international school. I love that my son will get a bilingual education, and even better that I don't have to figure out the French public school system.

They have their own infirmary with doctors and nurses on-site. Did I mention a room for pumping while nursing? Because I love not having to do that in a bathroom stall.

I have a cafeteria that serves things like poached salmon with steamed vegetables and mousse au chocolate, and I pay $5.

I always get gifts. I love gifts. But not as much as Nathan.

I have made several lifelong friends, and this is where I met the love of my life. (maybe this should have been bumped up on the list)

I may complain about my job on the regular, but who doesn't? The truth is that I can't imagine working anywhere else for a while. I'm one of the few people that loves their job.

Blogging...shmlogging

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:58:00 +0000

What on earth is wrong with my blogging skills lately? I have so much to say, literally, but haven't had the time to sit down and write it all.

There has been the new job, they kids in daycare, sick kids as a result of daycare, easter holiday, planning for the may holidays, and everything in between.

Life has gotten a hold of me. I have tons of fun posts coming up, but for now patience.

I will leave you with this gorgeous photo taken at the crèche (French for daycare). You see, Nathan is still a little jealous of his baby brother and since he love his daycare teachers so much we thought it would be more beneficial to put them in separate classes. A place for Noah to be Noah and Nathan to be Nathan.

Nathan being a typical big brother, pretended his little brother didn't exist. Then miraculously Nathan went over to visit Noah. This is news in and of itself, but it didn't end there. He went over, kissed him and played with him.

I'm thinking it was all for show. He wanted the teachers to ooh and ahh over him. He sure doesn't do that at home. Either way, they took this super cute picture of my boys and the director emailed it to me (the perks of a company daycare).

Aren't they cute? Brotherly love at its finest.

Working, working, working

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:09:00 +0000

I started work yesterday after being home for 16 weeks.

I wasn't ready. I loved being at home with Noah. I loved being home to watch every milestone: the first laugh, first giggle.

It makes me sad that I won't be there to see all of the future milestones: the rolling over, etc.

While I know that I am not the first working mother to feel this way, for me this is a rather strange set of emotions.

When Nathan was born, I couldn't wait to go back to work. I was sad to leave him, but I was ready.

I was going crazy at home. I needed to get out of the house. I needed to go back and feel productive. I needed real conversation.

I longed to wear the business suits, the slacks the skirts. I longed to wake up in the morning and get ready to go somewhere. Anywhere.

In my mind Nathan was such a difficult baby, and I didn't know how to take care of him. He would cry and I would cry.

We never got in sync with each other and the 13 weeks we spent together were a rough start to motherhood.

Looking back, Nathan was a normal baby and Noah is the same as Nathan was. Perhaps now after having gone through it once before, I am more mentally equipped to deal with a baby.

I am a better mother to Noah thanks to Nathan. I realize that these moments are fleeting and pass much to quickly.

I also realize that I might not get another chance to see these milestones. I have no idea if another baby is in our future.

Nathan made me a mother and made me understand how to deal with these changes within myself. How to deal with the beauty that comes with watching your child grow and evolve as a little person.

I am not ashamed to admit that I cried when I left him yesterday. That a little piece of my heart broke as I walked away from him.

I know that he is in amazing hands. I know that he will flourish in daycare that way that Nathan has. Knowing all of this doesn't make it any easier.

WIWW...out and about

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:51:00 +0000

I had a super emotional post ready to post today. A post abut how this is my last week of maternity leave and how I am nowhere near ready to leave my son. A post that made me cry as I was writing it, but with my husband out of town yet again I am not in the mental place to be able to hit the publish button.

This is why today you will get pictures of what I wore out and about this week. With the husband being so super busy with work, I have had to do more running around than I usually do, which means actually getting out of my PJ's and yoga pants.

All of these pictures are taken in the nursery because that is where I spend most of time. I think the giraffe and monkey might start talking back to me soon. And all pictures were taken with my phone because who has the time to take out the big camera these days?

blazer: JCrew / Jeans & Top: Old Navy

I went through a period where I was obsessed with the color pink. While my wardrobe has changed a little since then, I could not part with this blazer.

Shirt: Old Navy / Jeans: Abercrombie / Scarf: H&M / Shoes: Tod's

I loved this outfit. This fun green and black leopard scarf was a Christmas gift from my beautiful sister-in-law. I always have so much fun wearing it. And my Tod's flats are by far my favorite pair of shoes.

Shirt & Belt: H&M / Cardi & Jeans: Old Navy

This was my outfit during the daycare drop-off. I usually wear just a tee with a card but decided to throw the belt on because I felt a little blah.

American in Paris part deux

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:07:00 +0000

Having a baby abroad is always an adventure. Besides having to deal with the foreign doctors and foreign practices there is a whole slew of administrative responsibilities that arise. The most obvious is filing for an American birth certificate and passport.

You might remember my post about having to take a passport picture of a two month old. It wasn't fun or easy, but we got it done just in time for our appointment at the American Embassy in Paris. Did I not mention that you can only apply for these things by appointment only?

Since we just went through all of this with Nathan two years ago, we were a little bit more aware of how the process would work. All of the documentation was gathered and off we went.

Security at the embassy is still a major pain but they were super nice and accommodating to the family with a both a baby and a toddler in tow.

After a small verification that I am indeed an American and qualify to pass citizenship to Noah, we were all set. They gave us a tiny American flag to commemorate the occasion.

We didn't get one with Nathan so the counselor (is that what he's called?) gave us a second flag for Nathan. He loved it so much that he waved it all over Paris from the comfort of his stroller. We did get some funny looks walking down the street; it was hysterical.

Later that evening, Noah decided to get in on the flag waving action. He certainly is proud to be an American.

Disney Magique

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:18:00 +0000

Oh my, has it taken me a while to get back into this blogging thing. My husband has been gone for nearly two weeks on a business trip which has left little time for anything other than surviving. That however is a post for another time.

Last year when Cornel and I had to go to Paris (for yet another embassy trip) we decided to take Nathan to EuroDisney. It was such an amazing trip and we couldn't wait to take Nathan back.

Since we had to make a return trip to the Embassy we decided to take advantage and go back. This would be a little different of course since we would also have a baby on board. It is one thing to take a toddler to Disney, but taking a newborn was a whole different ball game.

Nathan had no idea what to think at first and I think at the beginning he was in pure shock. It didn't last long and soon he was having a great time, screaming and laughing.

We had booked a character breakfast like we had done last year to show Nathan the characters. Since he was so terrified last year we didn't really want to push it, but figured this way he could enjoy them from afar while he ate his croissants. We were shocked when he wanted to go right up to Mickey and even wanted to give him a hug. Who was this kid?

Not wanting to feel left out, Noah also wanted to get in on the action. His first picture with Mickey at only two months old, he is going to have some high expectations in the future.

The rest of the trip is what Disney is all about. Elephants were ridden; tea cups were spun and aliens were shot; we saw shows, played dress up in the souvenir shops (you know you've done it) and just took in the Disney magic as a family.

Since the breakfast had gone so well with Nathan we decided to do a dinner with the characters too. We headed over to the Disneyland Hotel and their uber fancy restaurant to enjoy a wonderful dinner (with wine, yummy yummy wine).

I can hardly explain how teary-eyed I became when Nathan ran and gave Mickey the biggest hug and just started kissing him. It was truly the sweetest thing.

And again Noah didn't want to feel left out of the dinner shenanigans ... (I carried him for most of the trip rather than dealing with the gigantic newborn strollers).

On our last day at Disney we just took our time and did a few of the things we wanted to do again before leaving. Our plan was promptly disrupted when Nathan noticed Winnie the Pooh. He was just standing and waving at him, and so we decided to brave the half hour l one to see him. So much for getting an early start home.

Unlike with Mickey, when we finally got to see Pooh Nathan acted like he didn't even care. He calmly walked over, gave him a quick hug and then posed for his picture. Check out his crossed legs and his glance away for the camera.

We did however snag the first picture of the four of us, so thanks Pooh.

Allin all, it was a great trip. My mom is so heartbroken that she has missed out on two Disney trips with her grandson(s) that she has decided to take Nathan to Disneyland in California over Christmas vacation. This kids is nothing if not spoiled. I think Cornel and I will take advantage and head to Las Vegas instead.

Paris in the Springtime

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:05:00 +0000

When Nathan was only four months old we took our first family vacation to Paris. We rode a train for three hours and had no idea what to expect traveling with a baby, especially to such a big city.

It ended up being an amazing trip. The weather was beautiful and Nathan was such a trooper. This would be the first of many wild adventures.

This past March, with Noah being only two months old we decided to give Paris another go. Not only would we be traveling with a much smaller baby, we would also have a toddler in tow.

Luckily, Paris is an amazing city in the Spring. Summer can be cold and winter is typically rainy; but Spring is when it truly shines.

We spent a lot of time indoors, but we did enjoy nice views of the Seine.

A nice walk down Rue de Rivoli. Nathan's first brunch at Angelina's where we ate delicious warm pastries and bread while we enjoyed a nice cup of their famous hot chocolate.

There were views of the Eiffel Tower, Louvre and Place de la Concorde.

Like all of our trips to Paris it was magical and the kids had a great time. This is definitely our favorite place to spend a Spring vacation, and the perfect place to enjoy as a family.

Mommy style

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:13:00 +0000

I realize that I haven't done one of these posts since I was pregnant over three months ago!!

I am happy to report that I am down to my pre-pregnancy weight even though nothing seems to be where it used to be.

I have put away all of my maternity clothes and have been wearing my non-maternity jeans since getting home from the hospital.

The bad news is that now with two kids I hardly have the time or energy to wear something other than yoga pants.

Since we were going to Paris last week I knew I had to put in more of an effort.

We left Monday night after Cornel got off work. Since we were counting on a long drive with both kids I went the comfy route.

Hoodie & Jeans: Abercrombie / Tank: Old Navy / Shoes: Tod's

As for what I wore in Paris...this pretty much sums it up. Isn't this the cutest accessory you've ever seen?

And this last one was after coming home where I have had to take over the daycare drop off.

Shirt & Jeans: Old Navy / Boots: Zara

I don't know if I will get back in the habit of doing these posts but hopefully it will help me stay out of the yoga pants and take a little care of myself.

Noah is three months

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:04:00 +0000

My sweet baby Noah how can it be three months? You are growing up much too fast.

We are only mini months away from your first birthday and you will no longer be my baby.

You have already changed so much. You live to smile and coo and you have begun to giggle out loud.

You still love tummy time and I think you might be rolling over soon.

You had your three month check up and handled your shots like a pro although it still breaks my heart to watch you cry.

We are still breast feeding and it is getting easier. To be honest I am surprised we made it this long. I hope we will be able to go a few more months.

This month was a big one for you and you officially became a US citizen. We took our first big family trip and you handled the traveling like a champ. This will come in handy living in this family.

It has been one full month and I can't wait to see what the next one has in store. We love you Noah.

And again, for fun here is Nathan vs. Noah at three months:

Where in the world....

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:38:00 +0000

Did you miss me? I had the best intentions to have posts scheduled last week but I am not that organized.

In case you are wondering where we've been this week, we've been here:

But it wasn't all fun and games and we were actually there to deal with some administrative issues that arise when you are an expat. We also learned that traveling with a baby and a toddler is easier than we thought it would be but oh my did we overpack.

I will try to catch up with all of you this week but with over 500 unread posts in my reader please forgive me if I don't comment on all of your posts.

And just for fun, while we were in Paris there was also a little bit of this...

Cake au Comte & Jambon - {French Bread with Ham & Cheese}

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 13:38:00 +0000

This recipe has quickly become one of my absolute favorites. A friend made it for a party a few months back and it was one of the first things to go. My two year old also ADORES this recipe. Perhaps it's because it has all of his favorite things: ham, cheese and bread.

This is so easy to put together that I didn't even bother to take pictures of all of the steps. Besides, how many pictures of dough balls do you really need to see on my website?

Ingredients:

2/3 cup grated gruyere cheese (cheddar cheese would be really good too)

2/3 cup deli ham chopped

1/2 cup butter melted (1 stick or 100 grams)

1 1/4 cup of flour (200 grams)

3 eggs

1/2 cup of milk

2 tablespoons of baking powder

salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400℉ (210℃)

Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl add the eggs and beat with an electric mixer. Add the flour and baking powder and keep beating on low while you add the milk and melted butter.

After everything is well incorporated add the ham and cheese along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Cook for 10 minutes on 400℉ and then reduce heat to 350℉ (180℃) and cook for an additional 20 minutes.

Serve warm.

As you can see, by the time I got around to taking pictures, my boys had already dug right in. Yeah...it is that good!

Dear Nathan ...

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:40:00 +0000

Dear Nathan,

You continue to amaze us everyday. Everyday you are learning new words and phrases. It is crazy to think how just a few months ago you could only communicate in grunts and now you can tell us exactly what you want it don't want.

You continue to explore your world and we call you our monkey. There us no limit to what you won't climb or what piece of furniture you won't scale. You are definitely keeping us on our toes.

You got another haircut this month and you definitely still hate them. This time you began crying before we even made it into the salon. We didn't know whether to laugh or cry when you turned to the stylist finger in the air yelling "NO"! Even though you cried like crazy, you let her finish. You look like such a little man now it is hard to remember that you are still a baby.

You have also become quite the little chef. You have always loved food (you take after your mom) but now you have discovered a love of cooking. You drag your foot stool everywhere and get up to help with the cooking. Your favorite is definitely using the hand mixer and of course you take your role as official "food taster" seriously. Very few things hit the dinner table without your seal of approval.

We can hardly wait to see what you do to surprise us next.

We love you!

A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 12:48:00 +0000

Have you missed me lately? Life has once again come in between me and my beloved blogging.

It has now been one week since my laptop went kaput and the French equivalent of the Geek Squad, like all things French, lacks timeliness and so I wait. My generous husband has offered up his desktop for my enjoyment, but it is just not the same. Lucky for all of us, he preemptively backed up my hard drive days before the crash; maybe he jinxed me.

And so I am confined to blogging and posting from my phone, so please forgive if I have neglected you. I promise I will visit soon.

The weather here has been unbelievable lately. You would hardly recognize Clermont-Ferrand. The sun has been shining and one would think that Spring has arrived. This has also contributed to my lack of focus.

We are also making a trip to the embassy in the near future for all things administrative. Living the life of an expat abroad is not all glamourous. In addition to the many things we will be doing at the embassy, we will be registering for Noah's American birth certificate, passport and social security card.

On a related note, you have not lived until you try to take a passport picture of a two month old. It took three people nearly a half hour just to get a shot that "might not be rejected". I'm crossing my fingers and hoping for the best.

I also had to stop by the office this past week to interview for a new position. There is nothing like being on maternity leave and having no idea what you will do next. Here is hoping I "wowed" at the interview because his new job sounds awesome.

In in other baby news, I have an interview with the office daycare to secure Noah a place. We have been on the waiting list since May of last year, yeah it is like that.

Hopefully life will get back to normal soon.

Sables du citron aux framboises {Raspberry Lemon Cookies}

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 11:51:00 +0000

I have been on a lemon kick lately. Maybe it is because the light flavor makes me think of Spring.

I made these cookies as a test because the combination sounded delicious, however I am terrible at baking cookies.

Not only was this recipe super easy but they were a big hit even with the toddler! That is saying ALOT.

First mix the dry ingredients together: flour, baking powder and salt.

Then in a small bowl mix the jam with the Chambord.

Chambord is a raspberry flavored liqueur and as you can see we use it often!

If you don't like cooking with alcohol or don't have Chambord you can leave it out and the cookies still taste delicious.

In another bowl combine the egg yolk, vanilla, lemon juice and zest.

Then cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Then beat in your egg yolk, vanilla, lemon juice and zest.

When everything is combined beat in the flour in two additions until the dough forms small moist clumps.

Roll the dough into a ball. From here pinch off one inch balls and place them on your cookie sheet.

Make an indentation in each cookie either with your finger or the back of a spoon.

Place a 1/2 teaspoon of the jam mixture in each indentation.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cookies are golden brown.

I can tell you from experience that you want to keep an eye in them because they will go from golden brown to dark brown in no time!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of raspberry jam
1 teaspoon of Chambord (optional)
1 cup of flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/8 teaspoon of salt
1 stick of butter at room temperature (1/2 cup)
1/3 cups sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest

Preheat your oven to 350℉ (180℃) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl combine the jam with the Chambord and set aside.

In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt.

Cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg yolk, vanilla, lemon juice and zest.

Beat in the flour in two additions until the dough forms moist clumps.

Form the dough into a large ball and then pinch off smaller one inch balls and place in lined cookie sheets.

Press down the center of each cookie and add 1/2 teaspoon of jam mixture into each indentation.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

Let cool and enjoy!

This recipe makes about a dozen and a half cookies. In my house they wee gone in one afternoon so next time I will double the recipe!

Self-Righteous Mother

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 12:42:00 +0000

When Nathan was born I remember reading all of the books and being so "prepared".

I had my mind made up on an array of subjects:

Pacifier use - absolutely not
Co-sleeping - definitely not
Swaddling - nope, my child needed to learn to soothe himself
Sleep training- definitely, after 12 weeks

Not only did I have my very strong minded opinions, but I judged all of those other mothers who did things differently.

"What do you mean your baby doesn't sleep in his crib?"

"OMG look at the four year old with a pacifier!"

My judgements were endless.

Now, two months in to the newborn parenting thing again, I am no longer the same person.

Pacifier use - Yes! If only to give me five minutes of free time before it ends up on the floor

Sleeping in our room - yes, because who has the energy to walk to the nursery every two hours

Bottle feeding- yes please. Especially if it means I can get out into the life of the living!

We all do what we can to survive and what is best for each child. I wish I could go back in time and slap myself.

I am no longer self-righteous and am kinder to myself and especially other mothers. We need all the help we can get!

Twenty-five Words

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:42:00 +0000

My husband read the other day that by the age of two a toddler should be able to say at least 25 words. If a child knows less than 25 words this is typically a warning sign that something could be wrong.

Of course this sent my husband in a tizzy and he began keeping track of all of Nathan's words. What we discovered is that Nathan knows a lot more than 25 words but sadly his vocabulary is not something to be proud of.

Since we don't speak a word of French at home, all of his French vocabulary came from daycare. This leads me to wonder what kind of joint they are running over there.

Some of the doozies of Nathan's vocabulary include:

Bouge les fesses - the french equivalent of "move your ass"

Tu est un coquin - you're a smart ass

Not this one - said whenever he disagrees with any of our choices be it dinner, choice of TV program or clothing

What happened? - usually said when a mystery occurs, like how did the stuffing of the throw pillows end up all over the floor? What happened indeed!

Pleure pas bebe - "don't cry baby". This is usually directed at his baby brother while throwing some sort of toy in his crib.

I help you - which really means "help me" in Nathan speak. "mama help you brush teeth" means "mama please help me brush my teeth"

C'est chaude - It's hot. Said whenever steam comes out of anything. Also used to refer to my coffee cup.

La Seine - his favorite song at the moment sang by Mrs. Johnny Depp (aka Vanessa Paradis). Who knew that I listened to the French radio that often.

Tatan (Nathan) okay - usually said after some sort of acrobatic maneuver off of the couch.

So while he definitely knows more than 25 words, we are going to have to work on the type of words he is allowed to say in public.

Cake au Citron - {French Lemon Cake}

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 11:29:00 +0000

One of the best parts about living in France is the breads and pastries. I'm very aware that one day we will have to move back to the US and I am going to go through some serious withdrawals.

This has put me on a mission to try and learn as many french recipes as I can so that I can take a little piece of France back with me.

That is why I love, love this recipe. Not only is it easy, but all of the ingredients are readily available in the States.

Since this is a French recipe it always comes in weights rather than measurements, so I did my best with my trusty scale to convert these into American measurements.

I always combine my dry ingredients in a bowl first: Flour, baking powder and salt.

Then I beat three eggs with the vanilla extract.

Then finally cream the sugar with the butter.

Beat until you get a creamy mousse:

Then slowly beat in the egg mixture. Once incorporated fold in the dry ingredients:

Lastly, add the zest and juice of 2 lemons and mix:

I put it in a lined loaf pan and bake in the oven at 350 for 45 minutes. You can always use a cake pan, but I love the look of a loaf.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups of flour (190 grams)

1 cup sugar (170 grams)

1 1/2 sticks of butter (170 grams) at room temperature

1 tablespoon baking powder (6 grams)

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

zest and juice of 2 lemons

Pre-heat oven to 350℉ (180℃). Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine.

In a small bowl whisk the eggs with the vanilla and set aside.

In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until you obtain a mousse. Slowly beat in the egg and vanilla mixture until incorporated.

Fold in the dry ingredients with a plastic spatula. Once well incorporated add in the juice and zest of the two lemons.

Pour the batter into a lined loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick in the center comes out dry.

I would love to hear if you give this recipe a try!

(Recipe my own adaptation of an old St. Hubert Recipe)