moving to a big bed

I loved moving Ada into her big bed and setting up her room. When she attempted climbing out of her cot I panicked and got a big bed ASAP. Ada didn't actually become a daredevil from then on so I waited until Ada was about 28 months old. We painted the drawers to co ordinate with her bed spread and I had some mint green paper lanterns I added to some twinkly lights to hang like a garland above her bed. Previously we found some Peter Rabbit pictures at a garage sale and saved them in the wardrobe and they happened to match too.

This is an old photo! Olive's banner and birth announcement are still in the room. 

The big bed went so smoothly the first few weeks. Ada loved her special duvet cover an the goldilocks doll that went with it. We used a rolled up towel tucked under the sheet to keep her in bed but she has fallen out twice, I think since we took it out actually. Daytime sleeps has taken a knock since then but seem to be back in favour. This makes me very happy. I have some Winnie the Pooh and Peter Rabbit on iTunes and a few audio books that we play for Ada to help keep her interest in her bed. The hardest things out the big bed has been Ada waking up at 515am and wanting to start her day. Previously she would have happily hung in her cot. We might put on a cd or let her have the light on to read books, often we get to stay in bed till 6am this way. I'm keen to try a gro clock but we haven't got desperate enough to go and buy one. 

Bedtime selfie fun. Monkey was top dog back then! Funny how those things change, Ada doesn't have a fave toy at the moment. Sorry this is SOO fuzzy, turns out a few tiny LED lights don't provide much light...

We chose a toddler bed so that there would be room for the bed and the cot but have since decided to keep the girls separate while Ada wakes so early in particular. Many friends who went straight to a single bed report that their kids don't get out of bed on their own! I learnt this too late!!

we love the beach

We had the best little holiday last week! Summer in July in the Bay of Plenty! We saw so many lovely friends and their bubbas too! Unfortunately we came home to a raft of illnesses, making the memories so much sweeter and 'long ago'. Ah well, onward!

brazillian fish stew

Here is my food writing attempt: OMG you have to try this simply nourishing, delicious, easy, dairy and gluten free recipe!

Ooh I made something new - if you see Hoki on special try this. I hardly ever make something new and I seldom cook when both girls are awake. But they were sick so easily sorted with about 5 raisins each, sitting in their highchairs, hanging in the kitchen. Another miracle is having all the ingredients on hand for something you haven't tried before. This is an adaptation of Brazillian fish stew, Moqueca, I found on the internet. I wanted a fish soup that was dairy and thai curry paste free. It was so delicious and so easy only a few minutes of prep and stirring. The kids were sick so they didn't even eat the rice I had with it let alone the soup, my girls don't eat a lot of fish yet!

Most basic photo to give you an idea, maybe your imagination would have been better?!

 Ingredients:

• 600-700g hoki, cut into large pieces. A firm fish is recommended so cut each 

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 4 Tbsp lime or lemon juice

• Salt and pepper

• Olive oil

• 1 cup chopped spring onion, or 1 medium onion diced

• 1/2 yellow and 1/2 red capsicum, diced

• 1 can of whole tomatoes

• 1 Tbsp paprika (Hungarian sweet)

• 1 chopped chili/pinch of chili flakes

• 1 large bunch of coriander, chopped with some set aside for garnish

• 1/2 can coconut cream, then fill to the top with water (you can freeze the rest).

How to:

1. Place fish pieces in a bowl, add the minced garlic and lime juice so that the pieces are well coated. I didn't have enough juice in my old lime so I added a splosh of white vinegar.  So the fish was covered. Sprinkle generously all over with salt and pepper. Keep chilled while preparing the rest of the soup.

2. If you are planning on serving the soup with rice, start the rice.

 

3. Back to the soup. In a large pot, coat the bottom with about 2 Tbsp of olive oil (in fact I used rice bran oil) and heat on medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook with salt, a few minutes until softened. Add the capsicum, paprika, and chili. Cook for a few minutes longer, until the capsicum begins to soften. Stir in the chopped tomatoes. The original recipe adds some green onions here but I didn't have them or miss them. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, uncovered. Stir in the chopped coriander. Add the coconut cream and water and bring back to a boil. 

4. Add the hoki and then bring soup to a simmer, reduce the heat, cover, and let cook for about 5 minutes. Watch for when all the fish has turned white. You may want to add more salt, lime or lemon juice, paprika, pepper, or chili to get the soup for your taste. 

Garnish with coriander and serve with rice or with crusty bread.

where the wild things are

To recommend this book is rather obvious but I wasn't prepared for how much Ada would love it. We read it five times a day when it arrived in the house. Such a lovely tale balancing a real scenario and real feelings with mystery and whimsy. Maurice Sendak was indeed a great children's book author. 

"And Max the king if the wild things was lonely and wanted to be where someone loved him best of all."

joyeux anniversaire Olive!

My baby! A toddler! Where has the last year gone? Let's see shall we...

Happy Birthday to my sweet girl! You love dinner and hate breakfast. You hate having things snatched away but love to share. You run whenever you can and particularly like to wear shoes. You get excited at the Playcentre gate and when Dad gets out the front pack. You run to give Ada or Dad a hug if they have been away from you, you are always happy to see your sister in fact. You love to play with water and sometimes hurry us along to get the bath running at the end of the day.

Olive you bring sparkle and softness wherever you go. You are adorably mischievous and so persistent. You communicate so clearly without words and you are enjoying being able to sign some words too. I love that you are generous with your affection and that I get snuggles and kisses and now over excited face slaps. Hmm

I am so proud to be your Mum Olive! What will the next year bring?

Love from Mama

eleven months.
ten months and walking.
nine months.
eight months.
seven months.
six months and crawling.
five months.
four months
three months and smiling
two months.
one month and no longer yellow
Ada at one year!

souper easy: red lentil and spicy sausage soup

Soup is one reason I like winter. I love a good one pot meal, soup is the original one pot right? It is so easy to cook a big batch and have it there for lunches a few days after. OK I confess I haven't got the kids to eat this but adults have to eat too right? Does anyone else have success with toddlers and soup, I'd love to hear any tips and tricks!

For this fast, easy and nourishing soup you will need:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion 
• 2 cloves garlic 
• 2 chorizo or similar spicy sausages
• 1 red chili (or chili powder to your taste)
• 1 cup red lentils 
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 1L chicken or vegetable stock
• sea salt
• cracked black pepper

Method:

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil, diced onion, crushed garlic, chorizo and chilli and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the onion is tender and the chorizo is golden, slice that sausage.
2. Add the lentils, stock, bring to boil and cook for 5 minutes to get those lentils started well, the acid in the tomatoes inhibits their cooking (so Ray McVinnie tells me in a Sunday Magazine one time). 
3. Add the tomatoes in for the last 10-15 minutes of cooking time.
4. Taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper.
5. Great with ciabata or pita bread or you know, toast. 

Yum! The better your sausage the better the soup I think. Vegetarians could omit the sausage and add some smoked paprika and some capsicum and this soup would still be awesome.

 

an ambitious read

Last night I had no bookmark. I had to remember I'm up to page 19. I'm enjoying this so far, I'm almost one fortieth of the way through! It will be a miracle if I finish it! Wish me luck...

What are you reading? Any recommendations out there?

one year of sisterhood

Melts the heart doesn't it? 

on the clock: two and a half

Ada is a charming, thoughtful girl. In all earnestness when I asked her these questions she answered each most emphatically.

"What is something new you can do?"

"Playing with Olive."

"What's something you don't like to do?" 

"Playing with Olive. I don't like to play with her, I don't like it." (whining)

"What's something you like to do?"

"I love playing with Olive so much." (squinting and doing the coy head on shoulder)

These answers sum up the intensity of love and property and space control that go on all day long. After that wee interview all the answers involved the words poo-poo. So yep. That's about where we are at.

Ada has been overheard saying, "I've got to find the boys,"  and off she runs.
"Don't worry Zoe, it will be OK, we can find your Mama."
"No Olive, you stay here with me. Don't worry."
Still she likes to tell me, "we're married." Lucky me!

A few facts:
Fave pastime: The swings
Fave song: ABC, Wheels on the Bus
Most often sung song: Let it go
Fave food: Peanut Butter and Jam Sandwich
Fave book: "I like poo-poo book"
Fave colour: Pink
"Whose your best friend?" I asked, thinking she would say me.
"Zoe."

Two and a half is a challenging time but that's a story for a post on discipline or child development or sibling rivalry or something like that.

We love you Ada Ann.

3 meals from one roast

Hello! When I have the oven on I get a little excited and cook as much as possible.

This is how I get three meals from "one roast".

1. I cook a tray of pumpkin for soup. I chop it into peices and drizzle a bit of olive oil, sprinkle some salt and pepper and maybe rosemary. I keep this in the fridge until I am ready to make soup. Then I do the saute some garlic and onion thing, normally add fresh grated ginger/curry powder/cumin, some stock and then I add the chopped roasted pumpkin, after having quickly taken off the skin while the onion cooks.

2. I cook a tray of vege with the above preparation, but in smaller pices, a couple of bites big say. Kumara, beetroot, carrot, onion, maybe a capsicum. Once that is all roasty and good it can wait in the fridge to then become a lentil and roast vege salad that just needs a tin of lentils and a dressing. Or the vege could be added to a self crusting quiche recipe, but that does require cooking.

3. Lastly (or firstly) I cook that nights dinner - some of those roast vege and potatoes and a chicken. If you would be generous and then count chicken sammies as a meal, that's FOUR meals from one roast. I mean, why wouldn't you? This is what I mean when I say I only cook three times a week.

Do you have any time saving cooking tips?