You are what you eat

Ok...the title of this post is a little misleading. It's a great phrase though and yes, we should all eat healthy blah blah. But I'm not here to give you a healthy version of mac and cheese or tell you to substitute applesauce for oil.

All the essentials

Instead, I'm going to tell you to get a mini white board for your fridge!! It is the best invention. I spend a lot of time in our little kitchen. Once one meal is done, it's time to clean up and wash the dishes and before ya know it, it's time to start cooking the next meal. It never ends!

A wise mother (mine) told me what she used to say when people asked her what she did all day (besides be a mom to 5 kids). Her response: "Breakfast, lunch and dinner." And it's true! I only have one kid and I feel the same way.

Enter... mini-white board for the fridge. It's small, magnetic, and comes with a pen and eraser, both of which are also magnetic. Genius! I definitely fall into the category of people who make more lists instead of actually doing things, but this white board has helped me actually get things done.

So much easier than typing it in as a "memo" on my phone!

While I'm cooking or washing dishes, I'll think of something I need to do or get at the store and I'll quickly jot it down on the board. Then, I'll take a pic of it on my phone and just look at it while I'm cruising the aisles at Sainsbury or sitting in the recliner (heaven) in the living room and doing an online order. No need to tire out my thumbs by attempting to actually type the list out on my phone when you can just as easily take a quick pic.

Now, I am aware that white boards were all the rage in the late 1990s and early 2000s and I am, as with many things, late to the game. The '90s called and they want their white board back blah blah blah. But seriously- if you want to stay organized or just play hangman- order one! They are lots of fun.

I put the link of the one I got from Amazon to the right. If you order it through my blog Amazon UK will give me a few cents (pence actually) so do it! Coming soon- an Amazon US search box for you Americans to order things (once I figure out how to do it).

Freddie helping me put away our grocery delivery.

Freddie's first haircut

Freddie's hair has been growing like a weed the past couple months. All of a sudden he has quite a mop on top. I knew the day was coming when we would have to cut his hair and I was nervous as all H about it. You might be thinking this was because I am a sentimental old bird (which I am- I was just sobbing watching an episode of One Born Every Minute) and I was sad to see some of his little baby hair go. But...this was not the reason I was so hesitant.

I was nervous because I knew I was going to have to be the one to cut it! I was going to have to get a sharp set of shears right next to his little face. Yes, we could have taken him to the hairdressers (barber shop I guess cause he's a guy?) but I decided awhile back that I was just going to do it myself. Guys often get their hair cut every 6 weeks (William, I'm lookin' at you here) and even though Freddie's hair probably doesn't grow fast enough to merit that, it's still a slippery slope once you start going.

Once you go for the first time, that's the end of the home haircut (for most people- my sister Margaret, however, has managed to do the reverse and has now stopped going to the hairdresser altogether. Instead, she cuts her own hair by first cutting off the ends of her ponytail and then chopping layers in. Bizarre technique but it seems to work.) So, I decided I would cut Freddie's hair for as long as I can- basically until he is old enough to notice it looks weird. We borrowed Margaret's haircutting scissors (she invested in a good pair) and got to work.

Freddie is a madman when he's on the loose so we had to do it when he was in the high chair. He also really likes to help out these days- he will help me put his toys away (even though he immediately just gets them back out) and pick up lint or dirt off the ground to give me (or eat) so I was not surprised when he reached his hands up to his hair and tried to grab the scissors. We quickly solved this problem by giving him his favorite treat- apple-flavored rice cakes!

It was nerve-racking at first but I soon got in the swing of it. The toughest part was around the ears but all in all, I was happy with the result. All of a sudden he's looking more like a toddler than a baby! I guess I shouldn't be surprised since his first birthday is only a couple weeks away but still! If any of you have advice for me for future haircuts (there will be many!) please send it my way. Do I part it and then cut? Hold it straight up and trim (this is what I tried to do on top)? Will I eventually have to shave the back of the neck hairline?

The end result! Posing at the park later that day.

We're backkkkkk!

Freddie and I are back in Edinburgh! My blogging hiatus is finally over. We made it through the flights, layovers, jet lag and had a wonderful trip visiting friends and fam in the good old Pacific Northwest. There were many adventures along the way, including a crazy thunder and lightening storm in Newark (which resulted in us just sitting in the plane on the runway- not even allowed to get up to change a poopy diaper), the airline, who shall remain nameless (FINE- it was United!), checking our stroller all the way through to Edinburgh so I had to carry Freddie on me the entire 4 and a half hour layover (when he wasn't crawling in just a onesie on the not-so-pristine floor) and finding a bug in my salad in the airport cafe (EW).

Nonetheless, it was a GREAT trip. So wonderful to see everyone and my anxiety for the flights was (mostly) for nothing. Freddie did really well on the plane. He loved peering over the top of the seat and spying on the people behind us, eating his lunch off the tray and even slept for hours. On the way back he curled up on the empty middle seat (we were soooo lucky to have an extra seat) and slept for over 4 hours so I could have the opportunity to watch episodes of a few shows I've been meaning to check out (New Girl and The Mindy Project- both pretty funny). Thanks Fred!

With everything that happened in Boston yesterday it really makes you feel grateful for the time you get to spend with your family. It was great to see you all and if we didn't manage to get together, we will be back in August so hope to see you then! Here are some pics from our trip:

Freddie on the plane

My mom's birthday dinner

Going for a walk in St Ed's park

Playing the piano with Grandpa

Freddie and Ollie "sharing" a toy

Keeley feeding Freddie dinner

The 3 cousins at a baby shower for Francie

Heading out for a walk in the sun

Listening to Grandpa play the guitar

Easter picnic at Golden Gardens

Corina's arrival

Holding little Corina

With great-Grandma Martha

With great-Grandpa Padden