I've been here before

7 months pregnant and miserable.
I'm as big as a house and every move I make takes far too much energy,
I've got a lovely umbilical hernia that feels like an iron fist of fury ripping through my skin. This, of course, puts a real cramp in my style. There is SO much I want to do and I can't. I literally CANNOT. Everyone who knows me knows that I can't just sit here and be idle. I need to be on the move.

With less than 2 months until my June 2 due date, I finally feel like things are getting in order. Sydney's "big girl" room is pretty much finished. We just have some organizing to do in new baby's room and then we'll be set.

Slowly but surely, our little family is getting prepared to grow. :)

I can't wait to meet her.

I did some blog cleaning.
I deleted almost my entire archive up until August 2005.
Anything before that is not worth remembering so away they went.

Besides, August 2005 is when my life really started. :)

September flew by and I feel like October's going just as quick.

I took Sydney to the orthopedist last month to have her ankles looked at. They turn in when she stands almost to the point where the soles of her feet are parallel with the rest of her body. It looks as painful as it sounds. So, at her physical therapists advice, I took her to an orthopedist to get a prescription for SMO braces - small braces that fit just over her ankles and will help her stability.

2 orthopedists later (long story), Miss Nee is finally getting fitted TONIGHT for AFO's - larger braces that go all the way up to her knees. This, however, is just a small blip in everything that's going on with her right now.

In addition to the orthopedist and the orthotist (the professional that fits her braces), Corey & I are taking Sydney to Philadelphia on Thursday to see a neurologist. This was suggested by both orthopedists because they both feel Sydney's leg weakness is neurological - possibly Cerebral Palsy or Spina Bifida - which may also be to blame for her other delays (speech, fine motor).

On a positive note, we had our yearly evaluation with Early Intervention and Sydney did very well. She is, of course, way behind in her gross motor skills, rating at 10-months old. This is mainly because she is 22-months old and not walking. Her fine motor and speech skills rate at a 16-month old. While that is still delayed it is good that she seems to be progressing globally. The really good news is that cognitively and socially she rates right on target.

Some more positive thoughts......

Sydney is starting to express herself verbally more & more. Her wee vocabulary is growing in leaps & bounds. Right now we say "nana" for banana, "momma" (my personal favorite), something that sounds like "Elmo" and apparently "purple" according to the daycare.

Her ASL vocabulary is even better. She signs more, milk, please, thank you, cow, fish, eat and dog. We're working on cat, pig and cheese now. I love the looks we get when we're out in public and people see her signing to me. I had a woman in Target stop me one day and ask me how I taught her to do that.

Elena's wedding is in under 3 weeks and we're getting excited! My dress fits perfectly - aside from having to take in the straps a bit due to my lack of breasts LOL . Sydney's dress is gorgeous and I just got her black patent leather mary janes, too. I'm really looking forward to it - it's going to be a great party!

I think that's all for now. I have some great fall photos I'll have to post. We took Sydney to the Pocono Pumpkin Festival last weekend and I got some cute pics of Corey & her at the petting zoo. She also got to meet Tyrone from the Backyardigans at the Crayola Factory and I have a HYSTERICAL picture of that.

Soon, I promise. Soon.

lalalala, lalalala, Sydney's world....

Lots happening. Lots going on. July & August were super busy and September and October are filling up quick.

A week in Myrtle Beach was relaxing and some much needed respite for Corey, Sydney & I. Now that Labor Day is a week away, I'm getting nervous as fall is usually the busiest time of year.

New & exciting things in Sydney's world:

She's standing unassisted...finally! It's quite adorable, actually. She stands there and just stares like she doesn't know what to do next.

She started using a fork & spoon. Not very effeciently, but she's using it.

She plays music on her caterpillar xylophone. To everyone else, it's noise. To me, it's a beautiful melody.

She LOVES books. It's fun to watch her crawl over to the bookcase, pick out a book and hand it to Corey or I. She then stands up at our laps with her arms in the air to pick her up and read to her. When one book is done, we put her down and the cylce starts all over again. Yesterday I must've read "Panda Bear, Panda Bear" 12 times. (making a mental note to bring more books downstairs)

I love (sometimes) the little personality she's developing. I love that she (sometimes) listens to direction and (sometimes) actually understands me! She's testing her boundaries and it makes us laugh everyday.

Wildwood pictures!!

Here are some pictures from our mini-vacay in Wildwood-

Sydney enjoying the sand and the water. I was so amazed at how well she took to the ocean. I didn't freak her out at all. I thought for sure the noise alone would scare her, but no.:

Crawling away from me as usual. I LOVE the ruffled bottom of her swimsuit even though it catches all the sand:

Riding the carousel at Morey's Pier just like I did when I was little:

Chilling with a drink in Cape May. She's not really drinking from it - she just likes to hold it and suck on the straw.:

You wanna know what sucks?

I have no oven.

My wonderful Caloric crapped out on me on July 4th just as I was in the process of making Corey's birthday Chocolate Chip Pie, the four cakes I had planned for the block party and yummy raspberry filled almond cookies.

pfft.

BUT...my loving husband called the appliance repair guy today and my oven should be fixed by tomorrow or Wednesday. Yay!

Sydney & I had a great time with Grandma Diane in Wildwood. She loved the sand and the water and the boardwalk. I will post pictures as soon as I get them uploaded.

After toying with the idea of posting recipes on my blog, I finally decided to do it. To be completely honest, I feel kind of intimidated by people like The Pioneer Woman and Bakarella. Their sites are just awesome - the photography makes you drool. I, of course, am armed with a mere 5.1 megapixel Nikon Point & Shoot - but I try.

Anyway, on to the eats.


First off, when I went to the supermarket on Thursday night my eyes nearly imploded when I saw the increase in the food prices - but that's an ENTIRELY different blog. I'll let my husband handle those types of posts.


My husband - who eats so much peanut butter I think one day he's going to come downstairs with a top hat, cane and a monocle. Literally - a small jar a week. So, I bought the largest jar of peanut butter they had. Why on earth do they put these things on the BOTTOM shelf. I think I herniated something on my way back up. That is how large this jar was - I kid you not. When I put it in the shopping cart, it kind of tipped a little. Okay...so it wasn't THAT heavy, but you get the picture. Size aside, this sucker was well over $6 - SIX BUCKS FOR PEANUT BUTTER. Geesh.

So, I come home with my ginormous jar of creamy peanut love and show my husband. I demand, yes demand, that this jar of peanut butter last him at least a month. I put the vat of butter in the pantry and close the door.

Friday night. I decide that I want to make my bestest friend a little birthday goodie. I decide to make peanut butter cup cupcakes. Yummy chocolate cupcakes with a glob of peanut butter in the center. Frost with chocolate frosting and glaze with chocolate ganache. Garnish with chopped peanut butter cupcakes. (see Bakarella for where I got the inspiration) This, of course took probably at least a cup of the precious peanut butter. Alas, I have no picture. :( I do hope she enjoyed them, though - they were scrumptious.

Sunday. Father's day. I send Corey out back to smoke a chicken and drink beer - his Father's day wish. I stay in the AC with Syd and, like I do on most Sundays, I get the itch to bake. I feel the need to get elbow deep in flour and butter and sugar. I thirst to experiment with flavors and textures....so I decide to try a cookie based on my loving husband's favorite candy - Butterfingers.

What are Butterfingers made of? Of course....peanut butter. What do I want to use in my recipe? 1 cup of the stuff. Ha!

So, I make the cookies and they are yum-licious. Corey is pleased. All is well.



Now I want something for me. Why? Because it's the middle of the month and I said so dammit! Give me my Dairy Milk bar, give me my Doritos and get the HELL outta my way....I want PB&J bars and I want them NOW.

What are PB&J bars? They are little bars of deliciousness fashioned after my most favorite sandwich from childhood. Pioneer Woman inspired. They of course have this precious peanut butter in them, too - 1/2 cup of the stuff. Ha ha!

So, I make them, cut them up and eat some. I'm happy, my ovaries are happy and my husband is happy. Who am I forgetting??

Oh...Miss Nee!! To round off this peanut butter rich weekend, Miss Nee tried peanut butter for the first time! Corey fed her peanut butter crackers at my Mom's while I wasn't looking. I was ready to rush her to the ER, but I didn't have to. She, apparently, is not allergic! Yay!! She even had a PB&J sandwich for lunch on Sunday.

Here are the recipes:

Butterfinger Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 egg whites
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped peanuts*
3/4 cup chocolate chips*
8 fun-size Butterfinger candy bars, chopped*

Cream butter and sugars until light & fluffy. Add egg whites until combined. Add vanilla and peanut butter.
Sift together flour, baking soda and salt - mix into butter mixture.
Stir in peanuts, chocolate chips and candy bars.

Drop by tablespoons full onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

NOTE: The next time I make these, I will use more candy bars and more chocolate chips. I will also make sure to chop the peanuts a little finer. Maybe even substitute chunky peanut butter?

Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups oats
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut up into chunks
1/2 cup peanut butter
3/4 - 1 cup grape jelly (or your jelly of choice)

Combine all ingredients, except jelly, in a large bowl until well incorporated.
Press half the mixture into a buttered 13x9" pan.
Spread jelly over the top until even.
Sprinkle with remaining dough mixture.
Bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes or until golden.
Let cool before slicing into bars.

ENJOY!