oh, do you know the muffin maven?

so, usually on sundays ivy and mommy are up somewhere between 6 and 7am. since daddy works until all hours most saturday nights, we try to let him sleep in. it's become a tradition for ivy and me to bake now in the wee hours of our sunday mornings, and i treasure the time. everyone wins...i love sharing this time and experience with my eager apprentice and taster, ivy absolutely LOVES to measure, pour, stir and taste, and daddy gets to wake up to the smells of mama & ivy's latest creation (plus we have yummy wholesome baked goods that usually last the whole week). on this particular sunday, our concoction was berry streusel power muffins - major yum!











i think it needs just a little more cinnamon, mommy!...here, you can take this off my sleeper!




check it out, homies - i did that!
















muffiny glory

dancing queen...

...young and sweet, only 17 (months old)...dancing queen, feel the beat from daddy's record spinning machine...you can dance...you can fall down...having the time of your life...oooh, see that boo bear, watch that scene, dig it - toddler dancing queen...

although we don't have anything else to post at this time, we didn't think it right to delay this cuteness. daddy was spinning some vintage '80's alterna-vinyl sunday afternoon and boo bear went buck-wild busting a move as soon as he put on erasure...go figure

just when you think it can't get any cuter, she goes and does this...

raw footage of the (top toddler) chef in her element...

oops- meant to post this down below, but made a goof...

liberty lands lookout

most of you know that i (mommy/carrie) am currently working full-time until mid-march. let me tell you, i have a whole new respect for moms who work full-time out of the home - this ain't easy! although it doesn't seem so bad on payday (am trying to scurry some money aside for my maternity leave), the hardest adjustment for me has been the reduced time with my sweet boo bear. when i had this past monday off and the weather was GORGEOUS, we immediately seized the opportunity to head out to liberty lands (our fave park & playground). ivy initially pretty much had the run of the place and took it all in stride. she loves commandeering both the tot jungle gym, car (instructing mommy to get in the back while she drives, of course), and slide (which clearly works better with tongue protruding...see below). we had a great time, and wouldn't you know it, whom do we run into while leaving? - shelley (ivy's caregiver) and ivy's gaggle of little buddies from shelley's!


seriously mom, i got this - just get in back and i'll drop you off for your friend-date in a few minutes!

top chef! (toddler edition)

this is how you do it! see the consistency? you want some nice cheesy sweet potato-rice deliciousness! just follow me and you'll come out on top at judges' table! (padma, tom colicchio, where are you!!?) ivy obviously loves to help in the kitchen, and this past monday, mama had off from work, so we made a day of it...going to liberty lands (our local beloved park/playground) and making some sweet potato rice balls for the little one to take with her to shelley's this week.
it tastes even better if you stick your tongue out while mixing...
raw footage of the chef in her element...
yum...i'm a big girl now and i insist on eating at the table (note high chair in background!) since mommy and daddy haven't gotten me a proper booster seat yet, i have to sit on this big old phone book...they call it "old-school syle."