3 months

  Baby Cooper is 3 months! We officially survived having a young toddler and a newborn :)

In some ways he is so much like Charlotte - he is alert, super strong, curious and loves "talking" In other ways he is totally different - he is a champion napper and a not so great overnight sleeper (she was opposite), he is a full pound heavier and a 3 inches longer and he loves a paci, something she never liked.

Overall he is still a happy baby, he has started to smile so much, it just melts me every time. He also found his hands and loves to chew on them, he has rolled from belly to back several times and still hates his car seat. He wears 3-6 month clothes and size 2 diapers and has the most gorgeous long lashes.

xoxo
Ashlea

freeze time

  With Coops turning 3 months this week I was comparing him and Sister to see the similarities and differences and honestly I have a really hard time remembering specifics, sleep deprivation can do that to the mind ;)
 
   Thank goodness I have her baby book and this blog (Char 3m post here) to help freeze those little moments in time so I can go back and reminisce. So I will do a separate 3 month post for Cooper but I want to document a bunch of little daily things that are happening in life right now.....

- Cooper always has one hand holding another and rolls them around - we call it his evil genius hands
- When Charlotte hears thunder she says "did you hear that?! we must tell the baboons! A reference from one her favorite books
- If Charlotte is telling me something is tiny she squints her eyes up really tight
- the amount of drool Cooper produces is amazing
- Charlotte always gets my shoes out of the hall closet for me when she gets hers too
-  Charlotte likes to refer to her body parts as the animal names like paw for hand, trunk or beak for nose, tusks for teeth
- after nursing Cooper always just lays and stares at me for a minute with the sweetest loving little look
- they both love to sing songs during bath time, This Little Light of Mine is the favorite right now
- Dada coming home is the highlight of their day, Charlotte tells me throughout the day "I really miss hims"
- Charlotte still has a few toddler versions of words like tah-buh-low for potato, candles for sandals, what hims do? for what is he doing, Pelly for Penelope, and saying something is too tasty when its too spicy

<3 <3 <3

xoxo
Ashlea

recipe

    Its been awhile since I posted a recipe because you know having a newborn and a toddler doesnt mix super well with gourmet cooking. I have stumbled upon 2 new favorites that are super quick and tasty!

First up is Middle Eastern chicken thighs

mix up your mairnade
- EVOO
- 2 T garlic salt
- 2 Tcumin
- 2 ttumeric
- dash of cinnamon 

let chicken marinade for at least one hour and up to over night
bake on foil lined baking sheet for 20-30 min at 425
serve with cucumber salad, naan, rice pilaf, grilled veggies or couscous

Next is Pork Tamale Pie (I have to give cred to Country Living for this one)
- cook pork shoulder or tenderloin in crock pot on low for 6-8 hours with fire roasted diced tomatoes, cumin, garlic salt, oregano, and black pepper. Shred pork and put into a casserole dish, top with corn bread yum!

And obligatory kiddo picture :)

xoxo
Ashlea