annie blog

More of E’s Doings

E is doing a lot of talking now. Mostly exclamations and words identifying things. “I did it!” “I found it!” “I hear airplane!” “I see it!” “Green shirt!” And my current favorite, “Somebody HEP me!”. The other day, we were listening to a cd in the van. It was an intro to a Paul Westerberg song, if I remember correctly. He heard the instrument at the beginning and said, “Guitar!!”. His daddy is so proud. 🙂

E is also in love with the neighborhood animals. He loves Poppy, the neighbor’s cat, and Dewey, a dog of another neighbor. E loves to visit Dewey during the day. Dewey usually sits atop his dog crate around the corner from our apartment. Dewey is always sedate and looks kind of overwhelmed when his owner is not around. He is a very sweet dog. The other day when E was visiting Dewey, he was interested in Dewey’s facial features and was pointing them out to Dewey and naming them, too. Then, E looked into Dewey’s eyes, patted him on the head and said, “Don’t wowwy Doggie, don’t wowwy!” Don’t worry, indeed. 2 year old boys give good advice sometimes.

One last thing about E — he thinks that my arms are very funny. And he frequently examines them. The wrinkly elbows are interesting, to be sure, but the most curious thing to him is that my arms are very spotty on the outside and not spotty on the insides. He is intruigued. And, he checks them several times a day…maybe he thinks that they will change? I think that it is interesting that he is the first boy of the four to notice all the funny things about arms. This means that he is brilliant, of course. 🙂

More of E’s Doings

E is doing a lot of talking now. Mostly exclamations and words identifying things. “I did it!” “I found it!” “I hear airplane!” “I see it!” “Green shirt!” And my current favorite, “Somebody HEP me!”. The other day, we were listening to a cd in the van. It was an intro to a Paul Westerberg song, if I remember correctly. He heard the instrument at the beginning and said, “Guitar!!”. His daddy is so proud. 🙂

E is also in love with the neighborhood animals. He loves Poppy, the neighbor’s cat, and Dewey, a dog of another neighbor. E loves to visit Dewey during the day. Dewey usually sits atop his dog crate around the corner from our apartment. Dewey is always sedate and looks kind of overwhelmed when his owner is not around. He is a very sweet dog. The other day when E was visiting Dewey, he was interested in Dewey’s facial features and was pointing them out to Dewey and naming them, too. Then, E looked into Dewey’s eyes, patted him on the head and said, “Don’t wowwy Doggie, don’t wowwy!” Don’t worry, indeed. 2 year old boys give good advice sometimes.

One last thing about E — he thinks that my arms are very funny. And he frequently examines them. The wrinkly elbows are interesting, to be sure, but the most curious thing to him is that my arms are very spotty on the outside and not spotty on the insides. He is intruigued. And, he checks them several times a day…maybe he thinks that they will change? I think that it is interesting that he is the first boy of the four to notice all the funny things about arms. This means that he is brilliant, of course. 🙂

More of E’s Doings

E is doing a lot of talking now. Mostly exclamations and words identifying things. “I did it!” “I found it!” “I hear airplane!” “I see it!” “Green shirt!” And my current favorite, “Somebody HEP me!”. The other day, we were listening to a cd in the van. It was an intro to a Paul Westerberg song, if I remember correctly. He heard the instrument at the beginning and said, “Guitar!!”. His daddy is so proud. 🙂

E is also in love with the neighborhood animals. He loves Poppy, the neighbor’s cat, and Dewey, a dog of another neighbor. E loves to visit Dewey during the day. Dewey usually sits atop his dog crate around the corner from our apartment. Dewey is always sedate and looks kind of overwhelmed when his owner is not around. He is a very sweet dog. The other day when E was visiting Dewey, he was interested in Dewey’s facial features and was pointing them out to Dewey and naming them, too. Then, E looked into Dewey’s eyes, patted him on the head and said, “Don’t wowwy Doggie, don’t wowwy!” Don’t worry, indeed. 2 year old boys give good advice sometimes.

One last thing about E — he thinks that my arms are very funny. And he frequently examines them. The wrinkly elbows are interesting, to be sure, but the most curious thing to him is that my arms are very spotty on the outside and not spotty on the insides. He is intruigued. And, he checks them several times a day…maybe he thinks that they will change? I think that it is interesting that he is the first boy of the four to notice all the funny things about arms. This means that he is brilliant, of course. 🙂

I have a lot to say. I have plenty up inside my head, just waiting for the time to get it out here….but today is not the day. Instead, here is a recipe that I made for the first time yesterday. It is not like any banana muffin that I have ever had before. Yummy. Really. And it is even worth getting both your mixer and food processor dirty for. I promise.
It is adapted from the “Bread Bible” by Rose Levy Beranbaum.

Banana Muffins

Makes about 8 regular sized muffins.

1 very ripe banana
1/4 cup sour cream
1 large egg
3/4 t. vanilla extract
3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
6 T sugar (use turbinado if you have it)
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
5 T. butter, softened
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped medium-fine and toasted
1/4 cup roughly chopped bittersweet chocolate or mini-chocolate chips

Spray your muffin pan with cooking spray or use paper liners that have been lightly sprayed.
Preheat oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
In your food processor with the metal blade, process the banana and sour cream until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and process until blended.
In a mixer bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and beat on low speed for 1 minute. Add the butter and half the banana mixture and beat until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the speed of the mixer and beat for 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl. Add the remaining banana mixture in 2 parts, beating for about 20 seconds after each addition or until well mixed. Beat in the nuts at low speed. Fold in the chocolate (if using).
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until muffins spring back a little when pressed lightly in the center.

Have a good weekend, y’all.

I have a lot to say. I have plenty up inside my head, just waiting for the time to get it out here….but today is not the day. Instead, here is a recipe that I made for the first time yesterday. It is not like any banana muffin that I have ever had before. Yummy. Really. And it is even worth getting both your mixer and food processor dirty for. I promise.
It is adapted from the “Bread Bible” by Rose Levy Beranbaum.

Banana Muffins

Makes about 8 regular sized muffins.

1 very ripe banana
1/4 cup sour cream
1 large egg
3/4 t. vanilla extract
3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
6 T sugar (use turbinado if you have it)
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
5 T. butter, softened
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped medium-fine and toasted
1/4 cup roughly chopped bittersweet chocolate or mini-chocolate chips

Spray your muffin pan with cooking spray or use paper liners that have been lightly sprayed.
Preheat oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
In your food processor with the metal blade, process the banana and sour cream until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and process until blended.
In a mixer bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and beat on low speed for 1 minute. Add the butter and half the banana mixture and beat until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the speed of the mixer and beat for 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl. Add the remaining banana mixture in 2 parts, beating for about 20 seconds after each addition or until well mixed. Beat in the nuts at low speed. Fold in the chocolate (if using).
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until muffins spring back a little when pressed lightly in the center.

Have a good weekend, y’all.

I have a lot to say. I have plenty up inside my head, just waiting for the time to get it out here….but today is not the day. Instead, here is a recipe that I made for the first time yesterday. It is not like any banana muffin that I have ever had before. Yummy. Really. And it is even worth getting both your mixer and food processor dirty for. I promise.
It is adapted from the “Bread Bible” by Rose Levy Beranbaum.

Banana Muffins

Makes about 8 regular sized muffins.

1 very ripe banana
1/4 cup sour cream
1 large egg
3/4 t. vanilla extract
3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
6 T sugar (use turbinado if you have it)
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
5 T. butter, softened
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped medium-fine and toasted
1/4 cup roughly chopped bittersweet chocolate or mini-chocolate chips

Spray your muffin pan with cooking spray or use paper liners that have been lightly sprayed.
Preheat oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
In your food processor with the metal blade, process the banana and sour cream until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and process until blended.
In a mixer bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and beat on low speed for 1 minute. Add the butter and half the banana mixture and beat until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the speed of the mixer and beat for 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl. Add the remaining banana mixture in 2 parts, beating for about 20 seconds after each addition or until well mixed. Beat in the nuts at low speed. Fold in the chocolate (if using).
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until muffins spring back a little when pressed lightly in the center.

Have a good weekend, y’all.

Free Cone Day!
Just wanted to let y’all know that Tuesday, April 25th is free cone day at Ben and Jerry’s. Click here to find a participating store near you. So, if you like free ice cream, plan to get over there and get yourself some. 🙂

Free Cone Day!
Just wanted to let y’all know that Tuesday, April 25th is free cone day at Ben and Jerry’s. Click here to find a participating store near you. So, if you like free ice cream, plan to get over there and get yourself some. 🙂

Free Cone Day!
Just wanted to let y’all know that Tuesday, April 25th is free cone day at Ben and Jerry’s. Click here to find a participating store near you. So, if you like free ice cream, plan to get over there and get yourself some. 🙂

In the life of E

E, my youngest boy,my baby, is 2 and a quarter. He is almost done with his transformation from baby to full blown little boy. A few illustrations….

Yesterday, I took him to the park while oldest brother watched a movie and brothers 2 and 3 waited like hawks to swoop down on the TV when the oldest was finished watching. They have XBOX fever, but I digress. On the way to the park, E wants to run down the street. I tell him that we need to save our running for the grass, instead of down the hill because it scares Mommy. He replies, very seriously and with a very low voice, “O-tay, Mom, o-tay.” (His responses almost always make me want to giggle a little — he is just so earnest.) We get almost to the park and he sees something of interest, “Beeg steek!” he exclaims. (The joy that big sticks bring to the lives of little boys everywhere really cannot be put into words.) What does he use his big stick for? Well, he uses it to get the fuzz off of dandelions when blowing doesn’t do the trick. Dandelions are another of his great loves of the moment, along with the already mentioned big sticks, Toy Story and Poppy the cat. While at the park, we meet some kids. E always says “hi” now. Usually he says this before the people are within earshot. Then, he will say it again when they can hear. While swinging in the swing, he dropped his toy and one of the children handed it back to him. What did he say? “Thanks, Man!!” What a hoot, I think that he learned that one from Toy Story.

One other thing about E. He has his preferences. I have thought all along that he was an “easy” child. And, I think that I was only partly right. He is easy-going but I think that the rest of it was just that things were going his way. Now, he loves being decisive with his “yes” and “no”. And he will tell you exactly what he wants now. Which I also love. The other day, I got him out of his bath and was drying him off. I started to talk about diaper and desitin and jammies. He was alarmed. He looked at me in a questioning way and asked, “Run nekkid, RUN NEKKID!?!”. Another of his favorite things. 🙂 So I let him run and run. The joys of a 2 year old. It makes me happy to witness them all again.