Lilli becomes a Big Girl!

Last week at this time I was full of anxiety.  We had just received word that Lilli's "Big Girl" furniture had arrived and was ready to be picked up.  We ordered it a month ago and ever since then I have been dreading the switch.  If any kid LOVES her crib, it is mine.  She sleeps like an angel and I hated to fix something that wasn't broken.  But, since Baby Pumpkin is coming to town, we needed that crib!

We were pleasantly surprised to find this after the first night -

Her room is not "done" but I will share pictures soon when it is complete!

We actually had to wake her to go to church that morning!  She had taken an almost 3 hour nap in it the afternoon before, but I attributed that to her being worn out from staying the night at Nana & PawPaw's house.  However - since that day she has slept BETTER than ever.  I didn't even think that was possible.  She adores her bed.  She climbs up in it and asks for a prayer for bedtime.  It is a precious thing!  The big transition of a big girl bed went flawlessly - I should have never worried about it!

Potty Training Bootcamp
A few friends of mine have done this "3 Day Potty Training" with great success.  I had planned on trying it all summer, and wrote it on my calendar for June 26.  Well, we didn't know the bed would come RIGHT before that, so I worried about doing too much at one time.  However, after the smooth transition we decided to go ahead and attempt it. 

Day One - I got out the panties after Lilli woke up- because all the diapers were gone! (Really I kept them but she doesn't know where.) She didn't make a big fuss at first, but pretty soon had some accidents while playing.  The goal of the program is to catch her in the act and rush her to the potty.  I did (many times) and by noon on that first day she had figured out that if even a DROP of pee landed in the toilet she got a "hemahem" (M&M). For the rest of the afternoon she was peeing in the potty.  Unfortunately, she wasn't quick enough and was still wetting her panties - but I kept it up with the treats and positive reinforcement.  She had a VERY wet nap (because I was practically pouring liquids down her!) but ended up with only one wet incident at night.  Jason worked late this night and I think I started to go delusional by the time he got home and got her to bed at 10:30.  I smelled like pee and was exhausted!

Day Two - Lilli has figured out the M&Ms but I needed something to motivate her even more.  Thankfully I found some animal stickers in a cabinet and told her she had to pee in the potty AND keep her panties dry to get one.  We didn't have much luck with it until that evening after Jason got home.  Something just clicked - and she figured it out!  She loved getting those stickers and we made over her so much she loved the attention!  She went perfectly 3 times in a row that night - and when we went to bed I felt pretty confident she was catching on!  Having Jason home earlier was a key to her success, I think - she wanted to impress him!

Day Three - Lilli woke up DRY in her bed!  I have no idea how she held it, because she also didn't pee at the house all morning.  We went to the pool (Nana, L and I) and she held it at Subway, in the car, etc.  She did wear a swim diaper but she didn't pee again until she took her nap when we returned home around 3:30.  After that we headed to church and she stayed dry until we got home!  She had an accident (I think because I was outside watering flowers and I didn't get to her quickly enough) but she also had several successes! 

Day Four - We finally had some success with #2!  She went twice in a row and earned THREE stickers for that.  I was so proud of her.  We have had an accident or two today, but also several successes.  I think she is really getting it.  She took a shorter nap - woke up crying, but dry.  I took her to the potty and she went!  I tried to get her back to sleep but she was too fussy, which made me think she might have had a "night terror" that she has sometimes.  Nana was here and she had a couple accidents which is to be expected with someone new.


As for me, I am WORN OUT.  I have to stay by her side at all times so I can be ready to run and take her to the potty.  This also includes crouching down on the ground to listen for something to come out - and my thighs are getting a work out!  It has been lots of cleaning, lots of laundry and bed making, lots of panty changing (over 20 the first day!)...but I think this is the best way to do it, if at all possible.  I am thankful to be off in the summer with her and able to devote the time to this.  Otherwise we would have 2 in diapers and I am not ready for that!!


I posted a couple days ago about the Chicken Fajita Pizza that I was making - and Jason LOVED it. He said I could make it any day of the week...hehe.  I also very much enjoyed it!

Tonight I am making something new, I'll come back and share the recipe if we like it.

, a photo by ambula603 on Flickr.

Dress up!

Recipes

Last week I made a really yummy Garlic Chicken Pasta with Red Peppers.  I can't find the recipe online anymore, but I have a hard copy.  If you want it - let me know and I will type it out and share.

I also made this cake not once, but THREE times.  It is that good!  Jason's coworkers love when I get in the baking mood - and Lilli is loving to be in the kitchen helping Mommy.
Fresh Strawberry Upside Down Cake

2 cups crushed fresh strawberries (I just used a one pound carton)

1 (6 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin mix (this is the bigger box)
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 (18 ounce) package yellow cake mix, batter prepared as directed on package

1.Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.Spread crushed strawberries on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan. Evenly sprinkle strawberries with the dry gelatin powder, and top with mini marshmallows.
3.Prepare the cake mix as directed on the package, and pour on top of the marshmallows. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 to 50 minutes. (My oven cooks hot/quick so I only baked for 35 minutes) Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the pan to loosen the sides, and turn the cake out onto a serving tray. Store cake in the refrigerator.


Today I just made Chili's Salsa from Kelly's Korner Blog -
CHILI'S SALSA

1 (14 1/2 oz.) can tomatoes and green chilies
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can whole canned tomatoes (plus the juice)
4 teaspoons jalapenos (canned, diced, not pickled)
1/4 cup yellow onion (diced)
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon cilantro
juice from 1/2 lime

1. In food processor place jalapenos (optional) and onion and process for just a few seconds.
2. Add both cans of tomatoes, salt, sugar, cumin,cilantro and lime juice.
3. Process all ingredients until well blended but do not puree.
4. Place in covered container and chill.
5. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips!


I plan on using it on this tonight -
Chicken Fajita Pizza from here

1 Tube (13.8 ounces) refrigerated pizza crust
1/2 Pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Sliced Onion
1/2 Cup Julienned Green Pepper
3 Garlic Cloves
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Pepper
1 Cup Salsa
2 Cups Shredded Mexican Cheese


Directions:
Unroll crust into a greased 15 in. X 10 in. X 1 in. baking pan; flatten dough and build up edges slightly. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute chicken in oil until lightly browned. Add the onion, green pepper, garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until vegetables are tender and chicken is no longer pink.


Spread salsa over the crust. Top with one cup cheese, chicken mixture, and remaining cheese.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.


Serving: 12 slices
Prep Time: Half an hour


My mom makes the yummiest homemade bread in the world.  She gave me a loaf on Wednesday and I am still eating it daily. :o)  So I am getting ready to whip up some of this -
Cinnamon Honey Butter

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
1.In a medium bowl, combine butter, confectioners' sugar honey and cinnamon. Beat until light and fluffy.

I figure you can't go wrong with ANY of those ingredients, plus we have tons of honey to use, remember!?



I'll share next week how these tasted - but since I had a free moment to share I wanted to get this typed out!

St Louis - Part 3 - The Zoo

Blog friends - happy Sunday!  I haven't updated this week because we have been busy loving life - but Lilli is taking a nap still (in her BIG GIRL BED-more on that later!) so I am going to try to finish my St. Louis Recap before I forget the details!

I left off after our first day of the Zoo.  Last year we did one day of the Zoo and it just wasn't enough.  Since it is FREE and we had a free shuttle, we decided to do two days this year.  I am glad we did!  This time we bought the "Safari Pass" which was 10 dollars a person but we thought well worth it.  We typically give a donation to the Zoo before we left so it was ok to pay for something while there! 

The Safari Pass included-
Rides on the Carousel
Rides on the Train
Sea Lion Show
Children's Zoo Admission
3-D Movie

So we did ALL of that!  By far, Lilli's favorite was the TRAIN!  She is still talking about how it went through a tunnel - she was mesmerized.  We rode it all the way around the zoo at one point and she was in Heaven.  Momma was in Heaven because I didn't have to walk as much this day - we just took the train from one part of the Zoo to another - much quicker!

Here are some photos from this day -

Leaving the hotel-such a big girl!

 

Waving to people while on the train!





Sea Lion Show - I think we enjoyed it more than her, she was ready to ride the train some more



We took late naps and had an even later dinner - but that was ok because it was vacation!  The next morning we got up and had breakfast - followed by a final swim - then headed back home.  

This year

And last year!

We had an uneventful ride home (thank goodness!) and even found a Chili's restaurant since it was my birthday and I was craving it!  She did great in the car, even sleeping about 45 minutes.

Overall it was a wonderful mini-vacation! 

Recipes lately

I'm taking a break from my St. Louis recap to post some recipes I have tried (and enjoyed!) lately.

Last night I made "Crispy Coconut Chicken Fingers"- taken from here
12 chicken tenders

1-2 eggs (start with one and crack another if it runs out)
1/2 C flour
1 C sweetened coconut flakes
1 C panko bread crumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder


preheat oven to 450 degrees.


Give coconut a rough chop so it's about the same size as the panko pieces.

Combine it with Panko and spices in a shallow dish. Mix well to distribute all of the spices.
Place the flour in another shallow dish, and the egg in another. Give the egg a quick beating.
Working with a few chicken tenders at a time, dredge in flour. Dip in egg, then finally coat in the coconut Panko mixture. Press in with your fingers to make sure the entire thing is well coated.

Place chicken tenders on a foil-lined baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. You can drizzle or spray olive oil on top for a crispier tender.


Bake in 450 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until juices run clear. If tenders are on the small side, they could even be done in about 15 minutes. If they're big they can take more like 25. The coconut will be nice and golden and the panko crisp, but light in color still.

I couldn't find Panko crumbs so I used regular bread crumbs.  Silly Walmart.  We didn't make the pineapple sauce because we have tons of HONEY leftover from Lillian's birthday party (remember - I used the honey bears as favors so I now have jars of honey in my pantry!)  Also, I have tried many times to bake chicken and often end up with a dry, tough result.  However, that was NOT the case with these!  They were juicy and I didn't miss that they were baked, not fried.  They were crunchy and tender!



From the same website, I made these 2 weeks ago -
Toasted Ravioli
2 tablespoons milk

1 egg
3/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs (this can easily be done by just adding some basil and oregano to some plain bread crumbs)
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 (25 ounce) package frozen raviolis (any flavor)
vegetable oil for frying (enough to generously cover the bottom of the pan, but you don't want too much)
grated Parmesan cheese
marinara sauce


Combine milk and egg in a small bowl. Place breadcrumbs and if desired, salt in a shallow bowl. Dip ravioli in milk mixture, then coat with breadcrumbs.


In a large heavy pan, pour oil about an inch deep. Heat oil over medium heat until a small amount of breading sizzles and turns brown. Fry ravioli, a few at a time, 1 minute on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately with hot marinara sauce.


I used regular cheese raviolis from Walmart, but they had others.  Even Lilli loved these!  I can never really guage Jason - he says he likes everything, haha.  However, both of these recipes are ones I will keep and try again, so that is why I wanted to share!  Sorry for no pics - they were gone before I could get my camera out! I also made a "summer spaghetti sauce" with peppers and tomatoes - but we didn't really like it so I have already deleted the recipe!  But these would be good appetizers with your normal Italian meal.

Speaking of Italian, I HAVE to add my dad's Bruschetta recipe - coming from my dad, it of course has no measurements - so just use what you would like
• Ripe Tomatoes Sliced

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Garlic Salt
• Pepperoni Slices*
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped fresh basil
• Fresh Whole Milk Mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4 slices (FRESH IS THE KEY!)
• Italian Seasoning
• Chopped Fresh Green Onions*
• Shredded Italian Blend Cheese
• French or Italian bread cut into 3/4 inch slices
• Fresh Grated Parmensan Cheese*
 *Optional


Place the bread on baking sheet; coat with olive oil and sprinkle Italian Seasoning.
Place under broiler till toasted. Turn and repeat for other side.
Remove and cover with pepperoni, sliced mozzarella, a few chopped onions, and sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper. Return to broiler until cheese is melted.
Remove and cover with sliced tomatoes sprinkle on basil, as well as the Italian and Parmesan cheese.  Return under broiler till tomatoes slightly cooked and cheese melted.

As a tip, I use parchment paper like it is going out of style!  It makes for much easier cleanup AND a crispier finished product.  I have taken the Bruschetta to several parties and it is gone in a snap!!
 
 Hope you enjoy some of these!

St Louis - 2011 - The Zoo

On Friday morning, Jason and I woke up to find Lilli still sleeping soundly!

Since she has never slept in our bed we weren't sure how she would do - well, we ended up getting ready in the bathroom AND I went downstairs to get breakfast (since they would close at 9) while she slept!  We ate our breakfast in the kitchen of our suite and when she woke around 9:30 we were ready to head to the zoo!

How hilarious is Miss Sassy Britches!?

Here are some of my favorites from the zoo.  It was hot, but we had a nice breeze.  I didn't get "miserable" until around lunch time - so we left without eating lunch (just had leftovers from PF Changs the night before at our room)



This peacock roamed the zoo and we saw it several times!





She HAD to have her snacks and drink!



This is my FAVORITE photo!

After about 3 hours we headed back for naps and dinner at The Cheesecake Factory (across the street).  I wanted proof that I was around this day so I tried to get a picture - she was not interested!

We had a delicious dinner and went for a walk around the Galleria Mall.  We took her to Build a Bear so she could pick out an amimal we saw at the Zoo.  She chose a tiger (who her Daddy named Stripes) and loved on it all night. 

We had so much fun!





St Louis - 2011 - The Magic House

Hello blog friends!

We just returned from another trip to St. Louis.  For those that don't know, it is one of our favorite cities.  Jason and I went there when we were dating in 2004 - then he proposed there in 2005 - then we went for Lilli's first vacation in 2010 and again now in 2011.  We love that it is about 3 hours but we can spend a long weekend with so much to do!

This is going to be picture heavy, so bear with me!  Remember you can click on any picture to make it bigger (that is for you, mom!)

Thursday -
We left home as soon as Lilli woke up and stopped first for a breakfast at Chik-Fil-A.  Be still my heart.  I have been wanting their little chicken yeast rolls for YEARS, no joke.  I just never go near one at breakfast time so it was a definite on our list!

We arrived in St. Louis around 1:00 - after some crappy directions (I hate getting them from the internet - ugh) we took the long "scenic" route to get to Kirkwood, where the Magic House is located.  We stopped at Deweys, a local pizza place recommended on some travel forums.  I had a pizza with green peppers, onions and sausage - something I never eat - but my pregnancy palate is much more advanced than normal!  It was yummy - and Lilli loved to eat the parmesan cheese on the table!

 We had talked up the trip so much - she was SO excited!

Here is a link to the Magic House.

We stayed about 2.5 hours and Lilli was worn out at the end (as were Mommy and Daddy) and we still didn't see it all!

Alice and Wonderland exhibit -

Trying to get a photo of the two of us - this is what she wanted to do!  In fact, there will be FEW photos of Lilli and me (and none of the 3 4 of us) because she wanted nothing to do with that!

She did hug the rabbit, though -

But her favorite things were the sand and water table - 

They were in two seperate rooms - in an area specifically for kids under 6.  I loved that she could get her hands wet and sandy and make a mess and I didn't have to clean it up!

 They also had a village just for kids - she enjoyed grocery shopping (and made me proud when she put ALL her groceries back on the correct shelves when finished!) and playing in the house.  She also loved the baby nursery!



Fishing in the pond!

  

Can you spot the best part of this picture --- It's JASON holding my girly diaper bag!!


 I have to add here - any time Lilli hears a baby cry we ask her why the baby is crying.  She always responds with "Mommy hold her..want some milk and hold her and a hotdog" and I get so tickled every time!

Making shadows on the wall-

Finishing up the Magic House by playing with the balls - she thought it was hilarious.

We left when we were all worn out and headed to our hotel in Richmond Heights.  Last year we stayed here and loved it so much we came back again!  We stayed at the Hilton Homewood Suites by the St. Louis Galleria.  Favorite parts of the hotel - huge rooms (we had a suite last year which was perfect for her pack-n-play) free breakfast (with waffles and REAL food like sausage and bacon - Jason's faves!) and a free shuttle to the zoo, among other places.  The prices were better than hotels near Forest Park - so that was enough to get me to come back! 

That night we planned to grab dinner at P.F. Changs since it was just across the street.  Lilli had to model her dress for me before we left -



She has her Daddy's long, muscular legs.  I'm jealous!



After our yummy dinner we came back to the hotel to swim - which was probably L's favorite part!  She was grinning so big I bet her cheeks hurt!  I didn't take my camera because I didn't want it to get wet - but she giggled and laughed so much!

We finished the night with a call to Nana and PawPaw back home!

Lilli has NEVER slept in the bed with us.  So we were all a bit nervous how she would do sharing a king size bed for the weekend.  It took her a while to wind down but she ended up doing great!

I'm posting now and will do Part 2 soon!