A beautiful day for the park!

Yesterday was hot...summer is totally upon us here in the southwest. However, in the shade of a tree with the breeze blowing...it was a beautiful day! While Ezra and I were at a baby shower in the morning, Ryan went to the store and got all of the fixings for a picnic. We went to the little park in our neighborhood with great shade trees, and enjoyed the afternoon as our family of 3.








(I'm pretty sure Ezra is saying "Go Team Green" in this last photo! :)

Sweet summer treats

My friend Jill just posted about avocado popsicles, which reminded me that I've been wanting to post about some sweet treats I've been making over and over again lately.

I was reading a magazine article on raw food diets that included this recipe for chocohana pudding...that's right chocolate and banana makes chocohana.

raw chocohana pudding
1 avocado
1/2 ripe banana
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup honey
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

combine all ingredients in bowl of food processor and process until consistency is smooth and pudding-like.
**the first time I made this I forgot to add the coconut oil and it still turned out great...so if you don't have any coconut oil, you can still make it. I promise you, it tastes just like chocolate pudding! Delicious.

And the second sweet treat I've been diggin' is the blended frozen banana. I don't really have any clever names for this one. Maybe froba or banazen?
Anyway, you just freeze a banana and then take it out and put it in the blender or food processor and it comes out like the consistency of ice cream. I put a little peanut butter and honey on top, but next time I think I'm going to try putting the peanut butter and honey right in the food processor too!

Birth Center Babes

Last week I had my six-week postpartum check-up at the Birth Center with midwife Judy. It was so nice to see her again and chat about how life as parents is going. I think it's probably the only "doctors" appointment I've ever had that ended with hugs and kisses on the cheek for both Ryan and I. As we left we chatted with the receptionist for 10 minutes or so. As we got in the car Ryan asked when my next appointment would be and I had to tell him that's it until next time I'm pregnant. I think we were both a little sad. It was like the last day of school when everyone is signing yearbooks...and not quite ready to leave the current school year behind them...even though what lies ahead is exciting too!

Thank goodness though for the mom and baby group that meets every week at the Birth Center...it keeps me from going through too much Birth Center withdraw. I LOVE it! A lot of the moms/babies from our class come to the group...as well as younger and older babies too. A few of us met up outside of the group a couple of weeks ago to see the movie BABIES (sooo good, go see it!).

This week at the group there was an ASL teacher who taught us the signs for commonly used words with babies. Milk, dirty diaper, tired, play, all done, mom, dad, etc. Other weeks have included demonstrations with different types of slings/baby carriers, learning infant massage, etc.

Here are some photos of Ezra, Eveyln and Annabelle this morning. Ezra and Evelyn were ultra entertained by Sophie the giraffe for quite some time. They both had their arms and legs going...super cute!


Ezra had his 2 month well-baby visit today (even though he's not quite 2 months yet...not sure how that scheduling worked out...). He's now 11 lbs. 7oz. and 24 inches long! That's a whole lot of growing in just 7 weeks (he was born at 7lbs. 9oz. and 20"). He is currently in the 50th percentile for weight, and 90th percentile for length!

Lake Michigan, oh how I love thee...

There are several things I miss about Michigan (other than my family of course). The fruit trees (and bushes). The fact that it doesn't get dark until 10pm in the summer. The green green grass that feels so good on bare feet. Autumn leaves. And last (for this list), but certainly not least...Lake Michigan!

Growing up we used to go camping at Lake Michigan every summer. And when not camping there, we'd often just go for the day and picnic, swim, and fall asleep in the sun. My cross country team trained there in the summer. And my mom used to let me skip school once a year to sneak off to the beach together. The feeling of the cool air coming off of the lake and the sand in between my toes is just enough to put me in nostalgia bliss for quite some time.

Taking Ezra to the Lake was an absolute must for our first trip to Michigan.

Ezra goes (mid)west!

Last week a friend of mine told me she had 14 southwest frequent flier vouchers that were about to expire and she would love it if I could use one (or two or three or four...) to go visit my family. I don't believe that it is typical to come across people who soo generously want to dish out their well-earned frequent flier flights, but for Lora this is nothing. She is truly one of the most giving people I have met and seems to find sheer joy in it.

I booked my ticket on a Monday night for a Wednesday morning departure. My brother-in-law and two of my nieces were having birthdays and this would allow us to get there in time to visit with everyone as well as attend the party!

Ezra's face when I told him we were going to meet his cousins...


His concern about traveling via airplane...


Preparing our birthday gifts...


Meeting Great Grandpa Echelbarger and Barb for the first time!


Relaxing outside in the gorgeous weather...


Ezra deciding if he loves grass as much as mama does... (he decided he does!)


Seeing my niece Lizzy who is as cute as can be and growing up wayyy too fast!


Haleigh decorating the front porch...


(Abby + Ryan + Ezra = love)




There was never a shortage of hands for holding Ezra. In fact, there was usually a list of "who gets to hold Ezra next". Here Emma and Roger are giving Ezra lots of love...


Aunt Nichole...


Lydia...


Snuggling against Grandma Sue...


Oh, and for the record, Alyssa is now officially taller than me. Much taller. And, she still loves to read.

A day with Aunt Rachel...

Rachel had a half day at school earlier this week, so we picked her up and hung out at our house all afternoon. She is a little mama's helper indeed.




And while Rachel and I mommy'd away, Ryan sang songs to us about diapers, pacifiers, swings, and everything Ezra! :)

Mother's Day...

It's true, Mother's Day felt different this year. In the past I always just thought of Mother's Day as the day when we are to appreciate our mothers. Which, don't get me wrong, I totally do appreciate my mama. But now being a mom myself, it felt more like a day to celebrate being a mama! So, I did.

We spent the morning relaxing and playing in bed.


Then we played some more in the living room.


After church, we went to Cafe 54 for brunch with Marcia.

Then back home for a nap. Chest to chest...how we both sleep best.


Dinner with Lori, Sara, Grammie, and Aunt Terri.


A trip to pick-up Ryan from the airport! Ezra is wearing one of Ryan's childhood outfits in this photo.


Bath time, and then story time reading, "The Foot Book" by Dr. Seuss.


Oh yes, I love being a mom.

the world wide web

I was reading Reader's Digest about custom googlemap envelopes...and well...I think they are worth blogging about. :) Check out mapenvelope yourself and pick your location, write your message...then just print, fold, stamp, and mail!

Auntie Jani is in town...

My good friend Jana from Boulder (via Boston) is in town visiting! I LOVE having company...it is so nice to have people whom you have such history with come and be part of the "newness" of where we live now. We literally did nothing the entire time she was here. We sat in the living room and stared at Ezra, went for walks, chilled at a coffee shop, cooked meals, and went to a game night. I guess that isn't really "nothing", but really it was the most chilled out version of having someone in town that I've probably ever experienced (aside from my parents being here after Ezra was born)...and it was wonderful!

Cozy with Auntie Jani right from the start...




Lovin' his blue hat from Grandma Sue!


Modeling his button down shirt...definitely a daddy look alike. :)


Speaking of dad...we are totally missing him while he is away in Missouri for the weekend!

Photos...

Here's a look at Ezra over the past week...