Teagan rolls...

Meal of the Past Few Weeks

This has been our staple for the past few weeks. We have all enjoyed it, including Tess.

I basically just put all this stuff together and don't really have a reciepe that I follow but here's what I do:

Corn and Shrimp Chowder

3-4 Small Potatoes diced (I've been getting beautiful Organic Yukons from our good friend Chris at Palm Beach Organics www.palmbeachorganics.org)

1/2 an onion chopped

3 cobs of corn cut off cob or about 1/2 bag or frozen

olive oil

good size pat of butter to saute onions in

salt and pepper

cream

Shrimp (1/2 lb to 1 lb depending on how much shrimp you want)

any herbs, can use dried too: bay leaf, rosemary, thyme...

First, thaw shrimp and once thawed cut into bite size pieces.

Okay, saute onions with some salt (my sister taught me this, sautéing onions always need salt to release their best flavors) . Once transparent, add diced potatoes and cover potatoes w/ water. Add a decent amount of salt, pepper, bay leaf, rosemary (whatever else you want) and let those cook on med. to bring to slow boil and until potatoes are soft.

Pour mixture into blender or food processor or something like that and add about 1/2 c. of cream and blend just a bit until thick. Add this back to the pot and stir, add more water if too thick, add corn and more salt if need be. Keep warm.

In frying pan, heat olive oil, cover shrimp pieces w/ some pepper and salt and saute until pink.

Add shrimp to soup mixture. That's it.... tasty w/ a nice salad.

A few days before 2

These photos were taken a few days before Tessa turned 2. Lately our days are marked by an ebb and flow, well, a rather strong ebb and flow. Well, some pulls too. I keep asking myself if things are challenging because I have two children. And I think not necessarily. Tessa's growing need for independence is lovely and tough at the same time. Caring for Teagan is not really difficult, she is happy doing what ever it is we are doing. She's easy to sleep, easy to rise, and smiley nearly all the time. Extremely relaxed. And Tessa's happy too, she's delightful, charming and these are the qualities I have to remember as I navigate through her increasing demands that bring frustration, and yelling and crying. She is, as my mother tells me often, very much like me. And the same goes for me. I have to remember that in this time when I am sleep deprived, emotionally drained, hormonally taxed, I too, possess a kindness and life force that pulls me through. I, too, can be delightful. I must remember this and not judge my self harshly. Forgive myself for my at times, impatience and faults. I can thank Tessa for this lesson!

This past weekend we attended a La Leche League Parenting Conference. Sat. night was a family fun night, full of games and music and kiddie pools with floating, plastic ducks. Tessa had fun in the water and when I turned around, she had taken off all her clothes. So, here, in a room of about 300 people, Tessa wandered through the crowds naked. I took some photos and then proceeded to wrap her in a towel. But, the crowd of parents enjoyed it and she wasn't phased in the slightest. Such is childhood.

Teagan's eyes continue to enhance her every expression


Most days after the girls wake from their naps, (that is, if Tessa will nap... but that's another story!) I give them an opportunity to interact without me interfering. On this day, and increasingly so lately, Tessa is more and more gentle.

Teagan 12 weeks and she got her first tooth!!!!

It's been a few weeks....

Teagan and baby Will (Molly's second child) finally get some photos together. Finally. Will is 2 weeks older than Teagan. They are both really chill and don't mind the chaos and demands of their older sisters, Libby and Tessa. That's how it goes!!!

Nana and Teagan. People often tell me they look alike. It's in the eyes... Teagan's are still changing but seem blue.

Tessa and her best friend, Libby spend some time by the pool.

Libby's mom, Molly and I feel so lucky to have each other. At least I know I feel lucky! She and I have known each other for years and years, our mothers were friends when we were about this age. We reconnected several years back as running partners, and have spent many very early mornings, running in the lovely Florida heat. It's been so nice having established our relationship before children, and now with the children I am finding even more so, how much I cherish her. We talk each morning and if it's past 9 and we haven't spoken, then we know it's either been a REALLY bad night or one of us is running. To have this unspoken agreement of support and kinship gives me comfort in this territory of unknowingness and at times, complete chaos. Molly helps remind me that all this is normal. All the feelings of isolation and at times, despair, the quiet joy of toddlers, the non sleeping, the pains in our stomachs that we feel when leaving our babies... we both speak to our children with kindness, we have respect for our children, we nurse together and want the same things from this experience of motherhood. Of course, we don't always know how to get what we want but I look to Molly to help me find it. And ultimately, what we want is children who grow to be individuals, kind and compassionate and confident. And not so remarkably, these are the qualities I honor in Molly. I'm so glad our children are growing together.

Tessa eats pasta... even though I'm her mom, I still have to say...look at those eyes!

My girls. This photo was taken last week. Tessa fell earlier that day. Cooper, the lizard chasing puppy and she collided. Within seconds, the bump on her head was purple and the size of a golf ball. We were at my moms and she said we had to go to the Dr. We went to Urgent care where they sent us to the ER for a cat scan. All seemed okay but just to be safe, we went. Brian and I and Tessa spent 6 hrs in the ER. My body was full of fear for the first time in Tessa's life. I was scared. Tessa did wonderfully, she laid still in the cat scan and was a charming patient though when we left, she cried and cried and told me the story of what happened..."Cooper, Tessa boom boom, Cooper sad. Tessa sad. Tessa cried...Cooper sad... Tessa band aid, medicine, doctor..."
So really, Teagan looks like Colleen's baby, right? And quite similar in temperment... those eyes are the watching kind... still and observant. Kind. Very kind.

And we finally met Jewel. Our friends, Barbara and Glenn's granddaughter who lives in California. She is a bit older than Tessa and they loved each other. Lots of kisses, running, and eating. Jewel introduced Tessa to nori and clams, though Jewel doesn't like clams. Tess ate about 30 of them and woke up the next day a little under the weather... and still asking for more Jewel.