Isla: 40 months

Oh my. When I look at this picture, there's nothing baby about her! All I see is a full-fledged little girl and I can hardly stand it. Isla has grown more and more affectionate and is frequently saying things like "Mommy, when we get to the restaurant I'm going to rub your back" or "Mommy, you are SO nice!" I also hear "I'll kiss it and make it better" a lot too.

 

She is very into pregnancy in recent weeks. She tells us often that she wants us to have one boy and one more girl so there can be 1-2-3 girls! She has started asking (Graham thankfully!) "How do babies get out of bellies?" and other such challenging questions. Thankfully I married a nurse and he just spouts off all the answers ever so scientifically. She is going to know her anatomy like no three year old ever has!

If we had to pick a theme phrase for our family, it would probably be: "That's ok. It'll dry!" The saying probably originated after one too many milk spills (and I'm sure I was saying it through gritted teeth) but it's really caught on, thanks to Isla, and we've found it to be applicable for most accidents. Bike crashes, bonked heads, spills, shattered glass, works of art accidentally used as grocery lists..... One quick "That's ok. It'll dry!" and we all know life can go on. 

Isla loves to do puzzles and has become quite good at them (no, she hasn't quite mastered these "adult" puzzles yet but she came them a good shot at!) She also really likes playing Candyland, even though I won one time.

I blame Christmas but our eldest has officially discovered candy! She has a sweet tooth just like the rest of 'em though she still says she doesn't like chocolate. She's my little baking pal and loves to help me cook, chop and taste.

Temperatures dropped significantly this month so often I'll find Isla snuggled up and cozy next to the heater vent. She often asks me to fetch things for her because she's "too cold to leave the heater."

She is really into dressing up these days and we are now the proud owners of a huge box full of fun frilly clothes. Here she was trying to tap dance up the stairs, just like Shirley Temple (watching short videos of her are another new favorite activity).

You might think Isla was "dressing up" in this next picture too but no, this was just the outfit she selected for the day: a Sounders jersey paired with a pink tutu and some rainboots. She's got style! 

Other things about Isla:

-She's given up napping (though she still has quiet time alone every afternoon)

-She is energized by people

-She has started asking "what's that in Spanish?"

-She likes to be in control

-She's learning nursery rhymes (Wee Willy Winky is the current hit)

-She is memorizing lots of songs (Away in a Manger, Go Tell it on the Mountain, Bless the Lord/10,000 Reasons)

-She's mastered her Strider bike

-She is very into germs and sometimes thinks they are pretty cool. Occasionally she tells us she didn't play with any kids at Sunday school because she "didn't want to share her germs."

-She pretends to read the clock: "Mom, it's 27:30 o'clock."

-She is so, incredibly beautiful, this sweet girl!

Norman Rockwell Christmas

Growing up, my parents had a giant coffee table book filled with art by Norman Rockwell. The pictures had no words and so my dad encouraged us to look at them and create our own story. I used to love doing this and still sometimes pick up that book and wonder about the story behind each picture.

I woke up early this morning to look at the photos taken at our Christmas gathering with the Crozier family this weekend. This one stood out to me as a perfect 2012 addition to Rockwell's book! There is so much going on and I can't help but laugh - the facial expressions, the "hooch," and then Ingy in the front with a knife in hand (????). What do you think is happening here?

Teddy Bear Suite

 What could be more fun that visiting a hotel room decorated for Christmas and packed to the brim with teddy bears? We couldn't think of anything better so off we went to the Teddy Bear Suite at Seattle's Fairmont Hotel. Everyone was SO HAPPY!

 We actually did have a really good time despite the impression these first few pictures might imply.

 It just took a little warming up to the situation (& an extra dose of patience for the parents who were reminded for the 237th time that pushing through nap time isn't always the wisest choice - seriously, why don't we learn!?)

 Once Emma realized there was a RADIO, she was golden! I mean, who cares about teddy bears when there are buttons to press!?

 The Christmas stories were also a hit

 

The decor was pretty cool too

  

 

 Before we knew it, she'd gone from crying to kissing...

 

 Total heart-melting-mommy alert here!

Emma sported the one-eyed look. She's so ahead of her time.

After we were teddy beared out, we popped over to Pike Place for a piroshky or two and then the best hot chocolate in Seattle from Fran's for the adults (their cocoa "mix" is basically just dark chocolate shavings). Oh and Isla got a candy cane and couldn't have been happier!

Garden D'lights

The Garden D'lights at the Bellevue Botanical Gardens is probably the best discovery since sliced bread. We love it! It has become tradition (two times makes tradition, right?) for us to meet our friends the Mullens there during the month of December.

These pictures don't do it anywhere near justice because a) we don't know how to take pictures in the dark and b) we neglected to take photos of some of the coolest parts. Basically they convert the entire grounds into a "garden" made strictly out of lights. There are hanging baskets overflowing with "fushias," "lilac bushes" (in the family pic above), a veggie garden with rows of "corn" and "tomato plants." My personal favorite though was the crocosmia to which Graham replied "Of course that's what that one is." Anyway, it is impressive for all kinds, even if you're not into gardening!

 Little Miss Hazel was such a dare devil and liked to run "off the beaten path."

Our little puff puff. I don't know if we can even call what she is wearing a coat. A straightjacket would be more fitting. Emma loved the lights and spent the evening pointing and making "I'm excited!" sounds. 

 Isla and Hazel had a blast literally running around the trails (the loop goes really quickly when you are jogging!) We warmed up afterwards with cocoa and cookies at the Mullen's lovely Kirkland abode.

So, if you're looking for fun, family-friendly and financially-affordable activities, just consult Senior Crozier. Seriously, this man knows how to get us out and seeing the city and his ideas are amazing!

Gingerbread Castles & the Christmas Carousel

 

 We've been keeping busy with Christmas activities around here! We took the girls on our annual trip to the Sheraton Hotel downtown Seattle to see the amazing gingerbread houses on display. This year there were some real awesome ones - The Little Mermaid, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Aladdin and Alice in Wonderland.

 Emma was in borderline spirits and soon made it clear that all she wanted to do was this:

 Or this:

 Unfortunately the gentleman in front of us was using a cane and so being knocked in the back of the knee with a giant double stroller was probably not his favorite. I had to remove Emma from the premises after she threw a room-silencing-all-eyes-on-us tantrum in the middle of the lobby when I wouldn't let her "help" with the stroller anymore. Once outside, she laid face down on the pavement and screamed. Wow. She's barely one but already going on two!!

 Isla on the other hand was quite interested in the gingerbread houses (and the candy cane!) Alice in Wonderland was her favorite.

 I love going downtown at Christmas time! It's so festive and somehow I find it less stressful than going to the mall (probably because I have a husband with mad parking skills who always seems to be able to find a spot).

 This photo was not photoshopped. The trees were just that cool!

 Emma cheered up again once she was cozily back in the stroller.

Next stop: the Christmas Carousel at Westlake. Isla loved it! Her only issue was that the ride was too short and I'd have to agree. I would have enjoyed another spin or two.

 Emma was skeptical, as she is with most new things these days. At first it was ok.

 Then she wanted OFF!

 

 

 

 What a fun way to spend the first day of December!

Double Coconut Pancakes

Just when I think I've finally found "the best pancake ever," I go and stumble upon a recipe like this one and my world turns upside down. These are seriously amazing! I clipped the recipe out of one of my Cooking Light magazines who knows how long ago and it's been sitting unused in my recipe binder ever since. I can hardly live with myself knowing I allowed that to happen. I mean, when pancakes cooking on the griddles smells like a fresh batch of sugar cookies, you know you are in for a treat! I traded out half of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour and they turned out great. The are best eaten fresh so only cook as many as you think you can eat (this will not be an issue - trust me, you will eat them ALL!)

Double Coconut Pancakes

(recipe courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons flaked sweetened coconut

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl. Combine coconut milk, butter, and egg; stir well. Add coconut milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring until smooth.

Pour about 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto a hot nonstick griddle or nonstick skillet. Cook 3 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Carefully turn pancakes over; cook 2 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 pancakes)

Double Coconut Pancakes

Just when I think I've finally found "the best pancake ever," I go and stumble upon a recipe like this one and my world turns upside down. These are seriously amazing! I clipped the recipe out of one of my Cooking Light magazines who knows how long ago and it's been sitting unused in my recipe binder ever since. I can hardly live with myself knowing I allowed that to happen. I mean, when pancakes cooking on the griddles smells like a fresh batch of sugar cookies, you know you are in for a treat! I traded out half of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour and they turned out great. The are best eaten fresh so only cook as many as you think you can eat (this will not be an issue - trust me, you will eat them ALL!)

Double Coconut Pancakes

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 pancakes)
 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons flaked sweetened coconut
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preparation

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl. Combine coconut milk, butter, and egg; stir well. Add coconut milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring until smooth.
Pour about 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto a hot nonstick griddle or nonstick skillet. Cook 3 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Carefully turn pancakes over; cook 2 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned.

Cooking Light DECEMBER 2006