Toast With Cheese

We've found a finger food winner!  The babies unanimously love cheese toast (of course, Lily asked where one buys cheese toast).  So, as a public service to my sweet twin mom friend, I've employed the help of my inner 3rd grader to describe how one makes cheese toast for babies.

Ingredients:

2 slices of bread
2 pieces of sliced cheese

Directions: 

1. Open bag of sliced bread by removing twist tie (that would require untwisting the wire).
2. Reach hand into bag and pull out 2 slices of bread.
3. Place slices on counter (assuming you keep clean counters).
4. Close bag of bread (remember the twist tie from Step 1). 
5. Unwrap 2 slices of cheese.
6. Place each slice of cheese on a piece of bread.
7. Throw wrappers away (you're no slob).
8. Put both slices of bread into the toaster oven (for beginners, cheese side up).
9. Close oven door, turn on to medium toast setting.
10. Entertain babies while bread/cheese combo toasts (hence the name, cheese toast).
11. Once oven is done toasting bread/cheese take combo out of oven and put on plate (caution: it's hawt).
12. Ta Da! You've just made cheese toast!

Break the cheese toast into baby bites and enjoy some coffee and the Internets while your babies have a wholesome breakfast.

Jesus Loves Me, This I Know . . .

Because he moved me to the beach, gave me two sweet dumplings and created the best beach weather EVER today!

For the first time in months we had a break from winter with a perfectly sunny, slightly breezy, warm (but not too hot), bee-U-tee-ful day.  Clearly the type of day that makes me feel like declaring my religion (Dear God, I'd like more of these days . . . lots and lots more, please and thank you).

Why is today so important?  Because while I was incubating 'die Kinder' (Google Translate), selling and buying a house, preparing for 'die Kinder', on the brink of disowning said 'Kinder' the only thing that kept me remotely sane was the fantasy of endless summer days spent at the beach watching Finn & Belle make sand castles.

Of course, I'm only slightly naive.  I'm sure these 'endless summer days' will revolve more around attempted sand eating contests, followed by repeated 'Finn!  No!' and 'Mirabelle, it's okay.' -- coupled with hours spent packing and unpacking the car for only 30 minutes of quality beach time before someone self-destructs (odds favor Mommy).   Regardless, we will make the most of this wonderful weather.  

Finn & Belle already approve of this clever plan.  Today we went to the beach, sat on a blanket and enjoyed the view (clarify:  Mommy & Belle enjoyed the view, Finn enjoyed fists full of sand).  Actually, Belle enjoyed the view as Mommy pondered the odds of a tsunami sweeping through the area and how best to survive one (time to stop watching the news).

Here's a picture of our beautiful day (and proof that I'm not making this crap up):

Selling Out

That's right folks, now if you want to read this blog you'll have to endure advertisements.  If you happen to see something you like, click on it.  We'll actually make a bit of money every time you click on the ad (the babies need new shoes . . . I'm serious, they really do).

Vindication?

Note:  This post contains views that may or may not cause drowsiness.

Look folks, I have two healthy babies and I'm not complaining about how I got them (okay, maybe I am), but if you read my posts between OCT 08 - JUL 09 you know I struggled with how to deliver them.  At times I felt the doctors were pushing a scheduled c-section more than a 'wait and see' approach.

Then tonight on ABC's World News a new study in California shows a triple increase in maternal deaths over the past 30 years.  Possible causes include scheduled c-sections, induced labors, obesity, etc. 

Ultimately I'm just hoping this sends a wake up call to the medical community to STOP pushing 'convenient deliveries' and START providing labor support with surgical delivery assistance only for emergency or medical reasons.

Here's the article for those (Amanda) interested in reading more:  Preventing Maternal Mortality 

Peek-A-Bow

When it's too cold outside for a walk in the park, we head to my favorite place in the entire world, my second home--the Mall.  Apparently I'm not the only one ready for Spring and warmer weather, so is the fashion industry. Of course, when it's forecasted to snow at the beach a 20% discount is not enough incentive to buy a new swimsuit (maybe 40% . . . wait, this is a swimsuit . . . let's try an additional 75% from an already reduced price).

Anyway, who's kidding who?  We don't shop for big kid clothing anymore, it's all about the babies.  With Easter coming, it's time to start planning their outfits.  Will Finn wear a tie, will Belle wear a bow?  Seriously, who cares the Earth's axis has shifted when these issues are still unresolved.

Here's Belle trying out a head bow:

Sneaky Mommy snapped a photo before Lady Belle could process the satin head assault. 

Lady Belle takes a taste test.  When she formulates words we'll let you know what she thinks about the bow.