girlymama

paying for it

This morning I was supposed to leave for NYC before Colin woke up, so he wouldn't notice I was gone. But the little bugger woke up a wee bit early (at 4:30 am - as you know he shows love to his parents by spending time with them when they'd rather be sleeping) so I did spend quite a bit of time with him before I left at 6:30. And I got to play with him for a bit when I got home and put him to bed.

But now the odyssey begins: because I left him today, he is not going to sleep tonight.  He will wake up every hour or so and scream for me at the top of his lungs. And not calm down until I pick him up and cuddle him. When he will gaze into my eyes, trying to fight his drooping lids. When he will grab on the my pajama top for dear life, like I'm going to disappear if he lets go.

This is my payment for leaving him all day. I know he's not being mean or punish me (even though it feels that way around 2am). He just missed me and he's scared I'm going to leave again.

I'm half annoyed and frustrated that I can't leave for 12 hours without him feeling abandoned.

But I'm half secretly glad that he loves me, needs me and misses me that much.

wordless wednesday: our most memorable family trip

 

boy vocabulary lesson

Colin probably has - at best - a 15 word vocabulary. Words include:
"Mama" = Mommy
"Dada" = Daddy
"Cee-Cee" = Gracie
"Eee-Eee" = Ellie
"Uh-huh" = yes
"La-la" = Elmo/Sesame Street
"Ball" = ball
"Boo" = book
"Doww" = down
"Woof-woof" = dog
"Meeeeew" = cat

His newest word: "Bum." As in butt. Boy knows 15 words and one is butt.

And he laughs when he says it. Boys.

(He does say "Jee-Jee" which means Jesus, so do you think that cancels out bum?)

try this: curried chicken salad

This is one of my signature recipes. Last week, I made lunch for all the childrens teachers at Bible Study and I had to make this salad - it got rave reviews last year! Served with some rolls and a green salad, it travels easily and is super yum!

Curried Chicken Salad
serves 6 to 8

3-4 chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good mayonnaise
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup Major Grey’s chutney
3 tablespoons curry powder
1 cup medium diced celery
1/4 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
1 cup grapes, halved
1 cup whole roasted, salted cashews

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and run the skin with olive oil.  Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and dice the chicken in large bite-size pieces.

2. For the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, wine, chutney, curry powder and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in the bowl – mix until smooth. (You can use a food processor if you want)

3. Combine the chicken with enough dressing to moisten well. Add the celery, scallions and grapes and mix well.  Refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Add cashews and grapes (if using) and serve at room temperature. (To roast cashews, place then in a dry saute pan over medium-low heat and stir until they’re a little crisp, about 5 minutes.)

recipe origin: adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook

ten things to do in philly with young children

1. The Philadelphia Zoo: Kids of all ages love animals, right? The Philly Zoo is not too big and TONS for kids to do and see. Did you know that The Philadelphia Zoo was the first zoo in America? And they were the first to open a special zoo just for children?   The Children's Zoo is super fun and offers great chances for kids to get up close and personal with animals!

2. Please Touch Museum: No surprise to see the childrens' museum on the list! The Please Touch is absolutely fabulous and recently renovated and expanded to provide play experiences in each exhibit zone. And it has special "toddler-only" areas throughout the museum, so even the littlest ones will have a terrific time!

3. Smith Park Playground: One of my kids favorite places to go. Ever. There's a 40-foot-long giant slide, huge playground, and a giant 24,000 square foot playhouse! The basement has been turned into a small town - complete with stop light and parking meters, where kids can ride play cars. The playhouse is for ages 5 and under.

4. The Franklin Insitute: Even little ones can enjoy the science museum. Ours loved the KidScience exhibit geared towards ages 5-8. And space is always fascinating. Our son went nuts for the Train Factory exhibit and they all loved the Sports Challenge room.

5. The Rodin Museum: Dare you bring your small kids to an art museum? We did! The Rodin Museum is a terrific first exposure to the wonderful world of art. And small, so you'll get through fast and its FREE - they just ask for a small donation - so if its not working out and you have to leave, you haven't really lost anything! 

6. Adventure Aquarium: Located right over the bridge in Camden, the Adventure Aquarium is a no-brainer. Kids will LOVE it. And so will you - it is a gorgeous place to visit. And there is so much to see and do, small kids can't possibly get bored. They even offer a special family value package to make your day more affordable. Get there early - this is a hot spot that gets crowded quickly!

7. Franklin Square Park: Its just so beautiful and so fun for kids. There's the Philadelphia Park Liberty Carousel, an 18-hole miniature golf course decorated with some of Philadelphia’s favorite icons, a gorgeous fountain, storytelling benches and great playground. And for mom and dad, check out Square Burger - a food stand run by Stephen Starr catering that makes amazing burgers and hot dogs!

8. Sesame Place:Okay, okay. Not technically located in Philly, but its only one hour north of the city. Sesame Place is super fun for little ones!! I recommend going in the summer, since they have terrific water attractions. But even off season they have great events for the whole family!

9. Independence National Historic Park: This is one you and your kids will both love. See the Liberty Bell Center and Independence Hall, stop by the National Constitution Center and see the tons of other historic sites in Old City. For around $20, you can take a horse drawn carriage ride through the historic part of the city. So fun! Historic Philadelphia is not to be missed.

10. The Academy of Natural Science: What kids don't find dinosaurs fascinating? Besides dinosaur hall and the permanent butterfly exhibit, there is a spectacular "Outside In" exhibit just for kids aged 3-8 that has tons of live animals and hands-on activities.