Crap! We have to start making our bed.

The other day I took the Monkey to the library for the second time in his life (the first doesn't really count because he wasn't old enough to destroy anything). They have an area with tables and chairs that's very well suited for him. I have never seen chairs that small, and he was able to sit down with very little help.

Our routine became: sitting together at the table, getting up to get new toys, taking a lap around the table, and finally sitting back down. We did this several times before the most wonderful, awful thing happened: he stood up from his chair and pushed it back under the table before leaving!

First I was beaming. I texted everyone I know to brag about how my 14 month old son is not only a genius (duh), but he also has manners. (Because they just come out that way, right? Some babies are just born rude, bless their hearts. But not mine. Nope. He's courteous.) I was so proud and a little impressed (I may or may not know another person with a similar genetic makeup, who seems to forget to push a chair in from time to time.), until it hit me: He was merely imitating me. That's what all people his age do. They see a parent do something, and if their motor skills cooperate, they do the same thing.

On the way home I realized he's going to start imitating us more and more, which means we have to start leading by example. Guess we have to start going to church more often and eating right. Read more. Drink less. Volunteer more (O.K., fine. just volunteer at all...for anything other than setting the DVR). Cut back on using "adult" words (it's just unrealistic to eliminate a part of my language cold turkey; it has to be gradual). And after a 20+ year hiatus, I have to start making my bed (ugh!). Thank goodness I've got pushing my chair in down pat! Looks like my other habits need a makeover!

What old habits have you tried to break since your little one arrived?

A Little Bit of Fun

I've been having fun as a Mom lately. My son is old enough to walk around and get into everything, but still young enough to find the handles on dresser drawers fascinating and laugh every time I sneeze or cough. For some reason the whole theatrical cough thing, that started at age 2 months for him, just never left. And I love it! I hope he always thinks coughing is funny (though this might put him in some awkward social situations eventually, but by then he can just snigger in his head), because if I can just have this one thing, I can hold onto his babyhood for.e.ver. Of course next will be farting and laughing, but for now...

I love that I get to read books to him in funny voices and accents, and he just eats it up. I feel like I'm being given the opportunity to perform on a type of stage, and there's no one else I'd rather have in my audience. He loves to hear me sing, see me dance, and he adores making funny faces with me at breakfast. He's hilarious, and he thinks I'm hilarious. It's kind of like being a movie star in my own home, which is a relief because now I won't need to pursue my dream of becoming the first Real Housewife of my town.

So. Because I've had my coffee today and a little fun with my Monkey, for the rest of the day I will focus on all of the happy surprises that come with Mommyhood. And maybe I will have the wisdom and foresight to revisit this post on the (sometimes many) days of the week I feel inadequate or can't see past the tiny finger prints on the glass door.

Dairy Free Brownies

I get very excited now when I see a recipe for something "dairy free," so I'm feeling a little guilty about the title of this post. Yes, these brownies are in fact dairy free, but only because I swapped out a couple of ingredients. Otherwise, these are Rachael Ray's Basic Brownies. So nothing revolutionary--or even terribly creative--here, people. Just one woman's desperate longing for a little chocolate in her dairy free life.

Here's my ingredient list (compare with link above, if you wish):

1 3/4 C sugar (I ran out of sugar before reaching 2 C, so in an effort to be completely forthcoming, etc.)

1 C almond butter (the kind I used is lightly sweetened with maple sugar and salted, so if you use homemade or unsweetened, consider that when deciding the amount of sugar and salt you will use)

1 C melted dark chocolate chips

3 eggs

2/3 C flour (I always use less than what a recipe calls for in cakes and brownies, because I like the texture better. They seem gooier.)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease baking pan (9 X 9, or whatever you typically use for brownies). Blend almond butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each, set mixture aside. Melt dark chocolate over very low heat, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Add chocolate to mixture. Add flour a little at a time while blending, so that mixture is consistent. Pour into pan. Bake for about 30 minutes (I would begin checking after 20 because everyone's oven is different.) Enjoy!