Ode to joy

Davey and the Easter Bunny

2010:

Davey and the Easter Bunny, originally uploaded by jessicafm.

2007:

Prescott & Davey

DSCN7731
Originally uploaded by kikip

aka "Don't put that on Facebook."

Prescott is a great influence

DSCN7732, originally uploaded by kikip.

Uh.

But seriously, we couldn't ask for anything better than Davey growing up as nicely as Pres.

Riding on the ferris wheel

Never having ridden a ferris wheel before, I thought he'd be nervous about riding the one at Children's Fairyland. Especially as there are no adults allowed. He, however, happily jumped aboard all by himself and enjoyed the ride. That a boy!

Cutie in Cement Park

Cutie in Cement Park, originally uploaded by jessicafm.

It was a gorgeous evening in Sausalito the night before Spring. So long, Winter!

Money, money, money!

Money, money, money!, originally uploaded by jessicafm.

Davey loves running the cash register at the shop and saying, "Thank you," to the customers.

Vegan coconut chocolate banana waffles

Vegan coconut chocolate banana waffles, originally uploaded by jessicafm.

2nd try is a charm? Well they could be more golden brown, but these were pretty tasty. Based on the Waffle I recipe from The Joy of Vegan Baking by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.

Ingredients
3 TB ground flax seed
1/2 C water
6 TB nondairy butter, melted
1-1/2 C coconut milk
1-3/4 C all-purpose flour
1 TB baking powder
1 TB granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
Dash of cinnamon
Splash of pure vanilla extract
1 small banana, diced
1/4 C vegan chocolate chips

PREHEAT YOUR WAFFLE IRON

In a food processor or blender, whip the flax seed and water together until it is thick and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the butter, coconut milk and vanilla extract and whip for another minute.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and cinnamon. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid ingredients. Stir until just combined. Fold in the banana and chocolate chips.

Spoon 1/2 cup batter onto the hot iron. Cook as you would any waffles.

Cute Davey saying:

Baby Kieran needs to try this when he grows up, originally uploaded by jessicafm.

"When I grow up & am a daddy, I want to be a painter and paint something for you. Like rainbows!"

Trying out the new big boy bed

Trying out the new big boy bed, originally uploaded by jessicafm.

Davey came home and saw his crib on its side in the living room as soon as he walked in the door. "What's going on," he cried? Immediately, he went to his room, walked in the door, noticed the dresser, then the bed, stopped, stared and fell silent for 30 seconds. Then he said, "What happened?" as he lightly smacked his right cheek. Next was a pout and a little confusion, perhaps? And then, "YEAH!" Under the covers he quickly slipped, testing it out. Then asking Daddy to go to sleep with him (pretend) for a little while. And lots and lots of jumping up and down.

He loves his big boy bed.

Davey's big boy bed and new dresser

Now:

Davey's big boy bed and new dresser, originally uploaded by jessicafm.

It does feel like it was just a few days ago that we had just finished getting it set up as a nursery. Wow, that was over 3 years ago.

Then:

Swim lesson time!!

Swim lesson time!!, originally uploaded by jessicafm.

Davey started swim lessons today and boy did he have fun! He's taking lessons two days a week at the Marin County YMCA. Theoretically it's a group class, but on his first night it was only him. There is only one other child in the class and he couldn't make it that night. His teacher is Brandon who I'd guess is still in high school -- maybe a senior? Brandon seems to have a really good way with little boys and had Davey at ease and listening to his instructions immediately.

Mark and I observed through the windows in the lobby, so as not to distract Davey. The entire half hour, Davey wore a giant, open mouthed smile. Does he like this? Oh, yes he does.

Meanwhile, as at least one of us will be at the YMCA at least once a week with Davey, we decided to go ahead and get a family membership. That way, we have no excuse to avoid exercise, at least those days. Yes!

Goal accomplished -- our big boy!

Playing in the big park in Petaluma, originally uploaded by jessicafm.

Wow, David did it! It has been one month and two days since he last pooped in a diaper. As of this morning, Davey made his goal of pooping only in the toilet for a month. Yay David! He is now very comfortably using the toilet for all his daytime toilet needs, whether it's with his Sponge Bob seat or an adult seat. That's our guy!

As promised, we are now shopping for a big boy bed as his prize. Woo!

To the sous go the spoils

To the sous go the spoils, originally uploaded by jessicafm.

Davey assisted me in making vegan brownie bites this evening. He helped measure and stir the ingredients and then, his favorite part of course, he helped me clean up the spatula and bowl. I'll dust powdered sugar hearts atop the bites this evening and take the bites to Marin Day School tomorrow for their Valentine's Day celebrations.

The brownie bites turned out pretty tasty if a bit sweet and tangy. Hm, more like chocolate cake with chocolate chips than brownies. Still, not bad. I'll experiment with the recipe in the future to get it perfected. Meanwhile, here it is as written in The Joy of Vegan Baking:

1-1/2 C granulated sugar
3/4 C unsweetened apple sauce
2 TB water
2 tsp ground flax seed
1/2 C water
2 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/3 C all purpose flour
3/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 C nondairy semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8x8 inch baking pan (or mini muffin tin as I did).

In a medium sized bowl, stir together the sugar, apple sauce and 2 TB water.

In a small bow or food processor, combine the ground flaxseed with the 1/2 C water. Add this to the applesauce mixture, along with the vanilla, and stir to combine.

In a separate small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, chocolate chips and nuts, if using. Add to the applesauce mixture and stir just to combine.

Pour in to prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes. The finished product should be moist. Bake longer if you like a cakier result. Remove from the oven and let cool before cutting. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 3 months.

I'm going to ride!!

I'm going to ride!!, originally uploaded by jessicafm.

You can see here just how much fun we had over the weekend in South Lake Tahoe. Davey and I spent most of the daylight hours, and some of the night, throwing snowballs and otherwise playing in the snow. Mark spent as much daylight time as possible on his board at Heavenly Ski Resort. Sue and Jim Bradford really took care of us as well -- thank you, we love you guys!!

Riding the board with Daddy

Rad little dude

Rad little dude, originally uploaded by jessicafm.

Sunic and Davey

Sunic and Davey, originally uploaded by jessicafm.

Poop!

On the toilet!

Saturday night, after having a tantrum when I wouldn't let him leave the table when he wouldn't eat the food he'd specifically asked for, he cried, "I have to pee!"

I replied, "Fine, come to the bathroom and pee. Then go back to the table until you eat the food you asked for."

After he peed he said, "I have to poop. I'll poop on the toilet," coming from a blotchy and tear-streaked face.

REALLY?

Sure enough, he did, with a smile on his face! Needless to say, laughs and congratulations abounded and he was given chocolate, which had been the perennial promise for pooping on the toilet.

Sunday and Monday, however? "Diaper. No toilet."

This evening he said he needed a diaper and asked me to please give him one. "No," I responded, "Poop on the toilet!" He said no, and said he'd put on his diaper himself, and asked me to turn the light on his room. I replied, "I'll turn the light on in the bathroom and put the Sponge Bob seat on the toilet, but I won't turn on the light in your room." After 30 seconds or so he walked in to the bathroom and said, "Okayyy."

Mark ran in to watch. We all cheered. Davey agreed that it was much less messy and he loved the positive attention.

The changing table in his room could be going away soon and a big boy bed may be in his near future.

Woo hoo!

Riding a bike outside for the first time