Cooking with Henry

I logically know that Henry needs to learn basic things like pouring things into a bowl, picking them up and putting them on a plate etc. I come up with "brilliant" ideas for Henry and I to make in the kitchen, like pizza from scratch, chocolate chip cookies from scratch, a salad for dinner. I have to say she is getting much better with her hand eye coordination but I am not getting better with my frustration level. I lack patience, yes I said it, I lack patience. When trying to parent my daughter who also has a lack of patience, we usually end up with a big mess in the kitchen and ordering take out.
Will I learn that these "brilliant" ideas not end up the way it is pictured in my mind, well I have already learned this but will I stop doing these mother daughter cooking/baking excursions? No I won't I will just do breathing exercises and always have a bottle of wine chilled and ready to go after the mess has officially been made.

Parenting Tip # 4

Milk on the go.... The other day at the mall food court Henry wanted milk. Per usual I reached in my bag for her sippy cup as to pour the purchased milk into and low and behold I had forgotten it. So acting fast I realized the single milk serving had an foil covering (just under the lid) I did not remove this and instead stuck the straw right thru it - as if it were a Capri Sun - poof instant sippy cup. It was not totally spill proof but MUCH better than the huge opening that would have been created if I had taken the foil seal off.

Parenting Tip # 3

How to keep your 4 month old from ripping his pacifier out with his hands that he cannot control yet..... Put winter mittens on his hands. I know they have the mittens for the newborns so they don't scratch their face but I got some winter mittens at the $1 section at Target and decided today in a pinch to see if that would solve the pacifier ripping out of the mouth issue - IT DID.

The worst diaper change ever

So I have to admit I tend to exclaim every poopy diaper is "the worst ever". I am so guilty of this that my husband has started calling me out on it. Thus I have started saying "that is one of the worst ever". But OMG I JUST HAD THE WORST POOPY DIAPER CHANGE EVER! And that is no joke my friends.
Phip is the guilty party. After nearly every feeding he has 2 poops. The come with in minutes of each other so you always wait till you hear the 2nd poop noise (you can hear them thru out the house!) before you bother to change it.  So I just heard the 2nd poop noise and away we went to change his diaper..... OH MY GOD! The poop was everywhere and I mean EVERYWHERE. It was even in his belly button. That folks is the worst diaper I have ever changed.

Parenting Tip #2

How to get your child to eat more... we have heard the info time and time again - to get your children to eat more have them help prepare the meal. However if they are the only ones eating - as they slept thru lunch or something - how doe they help prepare the meal. In this case I usually do something easy like chicken nuggets (mickey mouse shaped ones of course) or fish sticks, or a sandwich. For this I have Henry take the nuggets or sticks out of the bag and place them on the cooking sheet. Seems to work wonders every time I do it.

Mom on the go Recipe #1

This is how to make a grilled cheese when you don't have time to stand at the stove and babysit a grilled cheese.
Toast 2 pieces of bread in your toaster
butter the toast
put cheese on the buttered toast,
microwave cheese on toast for approx 40 sec

Bada Bing - you have a grilled cheese that your kid has no idea is not a true grilled cheese.

A Dump Truck for H

As we have been planning Xmas presents stratgiclly for H (practically for Phip) we decided we want H to have more stereotypically boy toys. Anyone who knows me know I don't want H to be a girly girl, but more of a "well rounded" meaning she has both girls and boy toys.  Thus Phip got her the ultimate "boy" toy, a huge, yellow, dump truck. The only difference from this one and the one I had as a kid (ok the one my brothers had and wouldn't let me play with and i didn't really put up a fight) is this one is plastic vs the metal, partly rusted one from my childhood.
I have to say I am not sure what her reaction will be. I don't expect her to jump up and down shouting "this is always what I wanted" but it will be interesting to see what she puts in it :).