We forgot what it was like...

This weekend was Dr. F's March golden weekend. A golden weekend is that magical weekend when he doesnt have to work/isnt on call Saturday or Sunday. This only happens one time each month and its glorious! We took full advantage of the weekend by getting our taxes done (the refund is going straight to his lenses for ophthalmology). Yep, every. single. penny. and then some. Dr. F cleaned up the back yard in preparation for next weekend's plans of landscaping/gardening and hopefully some outside dinners on our patio as soon as the weather cooperates. We even took a family walk along the river and went grocery shopping all together. Little Man even transitioned to his big boy bed: 

We really debated the toddler bed/bed rail dilemma, but decided that the toddler bed was the way to go because it means we get to keep our guest room for another year and Dr. F doesn't have to move his office to the basement quite yet. So, LM's bed is now set up in the nursery and our middle bedroom (which will be his in a year) can still be used in the aforementioned ways. The icing on the cake is that I found this beautiful bed on Craigslist for super cheap and I love it and its gender neutral. LM looooves his new bed and we've only had one instance of him getting out when he wasn't supposed to. Hooray!

Last night the weekend culminated in an amazing and very easy dinner. Dr. F made burgers and grilled them outside. I made sweet potato/reg. potato homemade french fries...and the results were too good not to share:

Fries: use an assortment of sweet and reg. potatoes. something about the variety is delicious!

Cut the potatos into "fries" then soak in cold, salted water for about 20 min. (this helps make them crisper)

Melt about 4 tbs of butter. Toss soaked fries (which you have removed from the water and dried) in butter.

* you know its gonna be good when there is butter involved!*

Season fries with a mixture of 1tsp garam masala and 1/2 tsp of chili powder.

Bake for about 40 min on 400 until fries are crisp (you may want to toss the fries 1/2 through for even cooking)

Lime Mayo for dipping:

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve:

3/4 cup Lite Mayo

2 tbs lime juice (I just squeezed a whole lime)

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/4 tsp paprika

salt and pepper to taste

The result? OMG amazing!!! 

We topped our burgers with ketchup and Trader Joe's guac. We even felt really indulgent and cracked a bottle of wine. It was pure heaven! Since I've been working (almost 8 mos now!) we basically eat left overs every night because I cook dinner the night before for the following day. It is very important to me that we eat home cooked meals, so "left overs" it is. But not last night! OH the joy it brought us to eat a freshly prepared, delicious dinner. It made me wish for the days when I stayed home and cooked every night. Dr. F was pretty on board too.... one day I'll stay home full time again...and I CAN'T WAIT!!

weddings weddings everywhere

Ok, I've officially lost it.Last night Dr. F and I got invited to our 10th wedding in 12 mos (seriously! we're going to have to take out a second mortgage to pay for all of these gifts) and guess what, he was asked by the couple to be the officiant! It is a huge honor and means so much to both of us. So of course, this morning I find the couple's website on the Knot and realize that their wedding is going to be in FT. LAUDERDALE AND KIDS ARE NOT INVITED! Normally this would only induce a slight panic, because OMG how are we going to pay for flights, hotel for 2 nights and a gift?!OH WAIT FOR IT.... if our plan goes according to plan, we will have a 4 mo old baby whom I will be nursing and cannot leave for a weekend!* yes, this is the plan, no I'm not pregnant yet, but we have a plan, damn it* I would be ok leaving LM for a weekend with my mom and dad, but I can not leave a 4 mo old. Furthermore, there is no way in h.e.l.l. I would leave my baby with a hotel babysitter/stranger for the adults only reception.

At this point, logic kicks in and I decide that I'm just going to send Dr. F a text, while he's in the hospital, that we should change our plan and try to conceive right about now so I wont have to leave an almost 4 mo old baby with his/her grandparents, haul a breast pump as my carry-on, and generally freak out.

I think this is an excellent plan. Of course, he texts back that "we'll talk about it later." I knew he'd say that.

Mama's got a brand new ride

...well, maybe. See, our cars are old (a 96 and 99) hand-me-downs, which our parents have so generously gifted us over the years. And I don't mind one bit. I have never cared about having a new or fancy car. I just want it to get us safely and reliably from point A to B and back again. I am also sick of continuing to put money into one car in particular (The 96...its 15 years old for crying out loud!) when I think we should just save the repair money and get a newer, used car (see, told you. i really don't care about bells and whistles!). I also hate the fact that we might have to spend even more money....lately it feels like our money is gone before we even have it. *thank you, student loans!* Our car is once again heading to the shop this weekend, after we spent $200 last weekend for new brakes....and I'm planting the seeds of buying a new (to us) car with Dr. F. I've started doing some research and have come up with a few options that I think might work for us: The Chevy Equinox or the Honda Pilot. The big downside of the Equinox is that it doesn't have 3 rows of seating * but it is rated #1 on US News and World Report.

Chevy Equinox

Honda Pilot

So, I'm turning to you in case you have or know anyone who has either of these cars...or a different car that you love, for advice. We are not opposed to minivans in general, but with the spectacularly terrible job of snow removal that Philly does and the need for Dr. F to make it to the hospital in terrible weather, we need AWD/4WD. I'd be grateful for any advice!

we plan on having a few kids (more than 2) so 3 rows of seating is important, because I want this car to last a long time... but should that factor in to a purchase when we only have 1 child now? I mean, we're probably going to have to replace the 99 sooner rather than later and can get a 3 row car then...

Who would guess...

that this munchkin is home today with a double ear infection and pink eye?

Babies and construction

The last few weeks have been super busy, but lots of fun and you know we never like to stop moving around here. I hosted a baby shower for one of my 5,000,000 pregnant friends and made this delicious spread:

Cucumber Sandwiches!

My wonderful hubby continued our Valentine's day tradition of making me a delicious dish for dinner. We snuggled up with full bellies and watched the Social Network. It was AWESOME!

I've also really gotten into making my own bread. I am sick of looking for bread that doesn't have a gazillion (yes that is a real number) of preservatives and additives. It's also super expensive. I don't have a bread maker and its a little time consuming, but holy goodness, there is nothing like fresh, homemade bread. Not to mention, it only costs about 50 cents a loaf to make myself. We are converted!

And because you know we can't just do one thing at a time around here, we are in the midst of a bathroom reno and basement upgrade. Dr. F needs a study/work area and we need to move Little Man from his crib into a big boy bed. Currently Dr. F's desk is in the Big Boy room and we'll need the nursery sooner or later (nope, still not pregnant, but in the next year or so...hopefully!). Oh, and did I mention that our basement is very unfinished and completely unleveled? Enter my Dad and Dr. F concocting a plan to level part of it themselves. You know what, 30+ bags of concrete and 36 hrs later, they did a pretty good job!

Framing out the area

Getting water to mix the concrete

Hard at work...and man, was it dusty!

I rewarded the guys with an apple pie

Don't you love my sweet apron, sweat pants and hot pink slippers? I thought so :)

And LM's hand prints will forever be in our basement :)

Oh, and that other simultaneous (although as yet, unfinished) project? Well, our house is old, as in only has one tiny bathroom and its on the second floor, old.BUT, we also have a laundry room on our first floor, almost unheard of in our neighborhood,or anywhere in Philly, really. So we decided the only thing to do is to (hire a contractor to)convert our laundry room into a 1/2 bath/ laundry room combo. This means that I got to pick out a new washer and dryer that stack (HELLO, this is so awesome I can hardly stand it) and we got all new appliances for the bathroom. IT IS AMAZING. The first step was to have the plumbing put in, which involved jack hammers and lots more dust. Then they put in our new toilet and sink and built a wall for a hallway (and bathroom privacy, obvi) and while this project is taking about a week, I'm like a little kid on Christmas morning. Can't wait to show you the finished product!

Dr. F inspecting our freshly jackhammered floor

Happy Friday, everyone!

what do you do when....

You reach the end of the internets before 11am? You promptly eat every hidden snack in your desk, including lunch and think, "Today is going to be a loooong day"

What would you do for a grilled cheese?

Warning: this post is potty training related and poop will be discussed!

From the time LM was weened off the boob at approximately 13 mos and transitioned to milk and solid food, he's developed the most amazing, if not concerning, ability to hold a #2 for 4-5 days at a time. He eats tons of fruits and veggies, we avoid the BRAT (banans, rice, cooked apples, toast) foods like the plague, he gets a cap full of Miralax in his high fiber oatmeal EVERY MORNING and he has an Activia yogurt for snack every day. Slowly but surly things are getting better and as we transitioned from whole to 2% milk and we're able to verbally reason with/encourage him to go. We've also loaded up on stickers and he gets one as a reward each time he has a BM.

In addition to his #2 issues, the kid has only peed on me ONCE in his whole life. Unheard of for boys, I know...and I can't help but wonder what other kinds of control issues he'll have later on. Anyway, with the advice of our pediatrician, we've been encouraging him to pee in the bath (dont worry, urine is sterile!) and even that has been a struggle. Warm, running water isnt even enough to convince this kid to go!

However, since he's one of the younger kids in his daycare class, he's been very inspired by the older kids going to the big boy potty. In a recent turn of events, Dr. F suggested a game of hide and seek and told LM to go hide and make poopies. Well, what do you know? The kid actually did it! This is now pretty much part of our after dinner routine. Mommy, Daddy and LM hide in different places in the living room so LM can go. *ohh the things you do as a parent!*

On Sunday, LM declared he wanted grilled cheese for lunch, but having withheld for a few days, there was no way I was giving him cheese and toast. Dr. F told him "If you want a grilled cheese, you have to make poop." LM promptly hid in his favorite spot in the kitchen, did his thing, then came back to the living room and said "I can have a grilled cheese now!"

ANNND the icing on the cake? He told me he wants to wear big boy Thomas (the Tank Engine) underwear which I promtly ordered from from Amazon and he actually peed on the potty last night before his bath! I can hear the angles singing...maybe we really on our way to the promised land of no diapers! at least during the day for now