This Week in Mommyhood

I decided to keep doing these weekly letters. It's a great way for me to remember all the little things I found special and to keep you guys updated on my motherhood journey. Each week is more special than the last and I don't want to forget a thing.

Cati is obsessed with bubbles. We introduced them to her a few weeks back and she quickly caught on to what they were and how to make them happen. Last week she would grab the bottle and blow when she wanted bubbles. This week she actually says "bubble" when she gets the bottle! She still blows and brings us the bubbles but it's amazing how quickly she catches on to things.

I haven't been putting bows in her hair for a while now because as soon as she feels something in her hair, she grabs it, pulls it out, and either hands it to me or tries to put it in my hair (heart melts!). The only way I can get bows to stay is if she doesn't notice me putting one on, which is very difficult. Her distaste for bows has spread to her socks. I like to keep her in socks around the house; she likes to be barefoot every second she gets. The funny thing is that she will pull them off and then try to put them back on but when I put them on she yanks them right off.

Cati had her 12-month appointment this week and Alex was amazed by her. Not only is she weighing 22 lbs and is 30" long, but she also takes vaccinations like a champ. Alex held her arms down (she didn't fight back) and she watched as the needle went in and came out. She had a delayed reaction and cried after the needle was already out, but that's it. At her last appointment she did the same thing and I was amazed at how intrigued she was by the needle. If that were me, I would have turned away, said my ABCs, and asked someone to hold my hand.

Cati got her first cold! At first, I thought it was a reaction to the vaccines but then Alex and I got sick too. Luckily, the cold for her was short lived and it was two days of a runny nose and tossing and turning at night. Other than seeing boogies ooze out of her nose and trouble sleeping, you would have never known she was sick because of how active and playful she was. She's such a little trooper.

I've given Cati her spoon in the past but this week I gave her the fork to try out. She understood that food went on the fork but didn't have the coordination to actually do it. I would fork little pieces of chicken nugget onto the fork and she would then move the fork to her mouth. The really impressive thing was that after a few times of me doing this, she tried to do it too. Again, she's catching on so quickly to things that I am constantly reminder of her growing status.

Cati turned one this past week. Valentine's Day in our house was spent celebrating her birthday. My mother-in-law brought her a little cheesecake cupcake and Cati had some with her dinner. I think I am going to give her cheesecake for her birthday every year now as a new tradition. There were no tears or moments of sadness. My daughter turned one and she's so amazing now that all I want to do is look forward to the days where I can braid her hair, hear about her day, cuddle with her, and share mommy-daughter secrets.

Dessert Table Sweet: M&M Cookies

I made one other cookie for the dessert table and it was these M&M cookies. These cookies always seem to be a popular type of cookie and they add a bit of fun and color. Luckily for me, M&Ms had special Valentine's Day candies and I was able to get two packs of dark pink, light pink, and white (and red) for less than the price I would have paid for a single bag of pink M&Ms.

Other dessert tables sweets include Oreo Truffles, Apple Pie Pops, Chocolate Chip Cookies, and S'mores Pops.

M&M Cookies
Source: Beantown Baker (here)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups M&M’s, divided
1 cup chopped pecans (I omitted)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Add eggs; beat well.

Gradually add flour mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in 3/4 cup M&Ms and all the nuts.

Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheet. Press 5-6 of remaining M&Ms on each cookie before baking. Bake 9-11 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Dessert Table Sweet: S'Mores Pops

Here's another "on a stick" dessert treat. I thought these S'mores Pops inspired by White on Rice Couple were going to be hard but they were actually really easy.  It's basically dipping, rolling, sticking, and torching. It took me less than an hour from start to finish to create 40 of these pops. Like I did with the Oreo Truffles, I added a bit of butter and corn syrup to make the chocolate thinner and easier for dipping.

Other dessert tables sweets include Oreo Truffles, Apple Pie Pops, and Chocolate Chip Cookies.

S'Mores Pops
Source: White on Rice Couple and Gimme Some Oven

4-6 oz semi-sweet chocolate
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp corn syrup
40 large marshmallows
About 5 graham crackers processed into crumbs (~ 3/4 cups)
Lollipop sticks

Combine the chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in a double boiler or medium bowl set over a saucepan containing simmering water. Place cracker crumbs in a bowl and keep close to the chocolate mixture.

By hand dip a marshmallow into the chocolate, covering half. Then, roll in graham cracker crumbs and set on a cooling rack. Repeat with every single marshmallow.

Push a stick through the center of the marshmallow. The chocolate should have had enough time to harden a bit. Place the marshmallow pop in a cup that's been filled with dry rice or beans; this helps to keep it in an upright position so you can torch the top.

Torch the marshmallow on the low setting to desired crispness, making sure to blow out any flare ups.

Serve and enjoy!

Note: I made the S'mores Pops the Thursday before the party and they were still crispy and chocolaty.

Dessert Table Sweet: Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here's the recipe for my personal favorite: the chocolate chip cookie. I always make this Nestle recipe because I love the crispy-chewy combination of these cookies. Plus, chocolate chip cookies are such a classic that they need to make an appearance on any given dessert table.

Original NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source: Nestle
Yields approximately 40 Tbsp-sized cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped nuts (I omitted)

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

* May be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week or in freezer for up to 8 weeks.

Styling C: 02.14.11 to 02.16.11

Monday, 02.14.11

The Look: Springtime Baby

The Outfit: Gap white floral romper

Tuesday, 02.15.11

The Look: Springtime Casual
The Outfit: Cherokee pink floral top, Gap jeans, Carter's pink socks

Wednesday, 02.16.11

The Look: Everyday Casual

The Outfit: Baby Cottons white and pink polka dot top, Carter's
pink pants, First Impressions Mary Jane socks
 

Dessert Table Sweet: Apple Pie Pops

Here's another dessert table favorite. And really, how could it not be? Everyone loves apple pie, especially ones that are cute and bite-sized. These were the most time intensive of the desserts I made but the effort was worth it because they were beautiful and delicious.

Other Dessert Table Sweets include Easy Oreo Truffles. 

Apple Pie Pops
Source: Our Best Bites
Yields approximately 30-2" round pops

2 sheets of  store bought pie crust dough
6" lollipop stick
Small bowl of water
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Course sugar or sprinkles for top
Apple pie filling
Cutter: I used a shot glass to cut out the circles


Apple Pie Filling (combine all ingredients below):
1 medium tart green apple, peeled and grated
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon cold butter, grated

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat if desired.

Roll out pie dough on a floured surface about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out shapes and place them on your baking sheet. Place about 1 tsp of filling on one cut out, keeping it away from the edges. Place 6 inch lollipop stick in center of shape, with the top of the stick near the top of the shape. Wet your finger in a small bowl of water and wet the edge of the pie dough shape. Wet the edges of a 2nd pie dough shape (one without filling) and place on top of the other. Press together gently with your fingers to seal the pieces together. Use a fork to crimp edges, being careful to seal edges around the stick. Poke a fork into top of pie one time so steam can vent. If desired, brush top of pie in melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake pies for 15-20 minutes until barely golden brown. Cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before packaging. If desired, place in cellophane bags and tie with ribbons and labels.

Dessert Table Sweet: Easy Oreo Truffles

I want to wait until I get the professional pictures to show you all the party pictures but I don't want to wait until then to share the recipes for the desserts I made. Most of the recipes are my go-to recipes and have made their appearance on the blog before but I think it's time for a refresher. First up, was the overwhelming favorite of the day: Oreo Truffles. Everyone loved them and one of my friends even called me after the party asking for directions on how to make the truffles. If you haven't tried these truffles then I urge you to make them right this instance. They are simply divine and outrageously good.

It was for this dessert that I used the toppers Sarah (Aspire to Be) sent us. This made the dipping part so much easier and it really dressed up the truffles and added a nice visual touch to the dessert table.

Easy Oreo Truffles
Source: Kraft Recipes

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 pkg. (16.6 oz.) OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 4-1/4 cups), divided
2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

Mix cream cheese and 3 cups cookie crumbs until well blended.

Shape into 48 (1-inch) balls. Dip in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.

Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Notes:

• I mixed ALL the crumbs with the cream cheese and topped my truffles with pink edible balls.
• I used about 5 oz of chocolate total for the dipping. When I made this in the past the chocolate was really hard to work with because it was very thick so this time around I made it more like a ganache by melting the chocolate with 2 Tbsp of butter and about a Tbsp of heavy cream. This made the chocolate a million times easier to work with and it helped the truffles get a more smooth and even coating.

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia

I am so sorry. I think the posts from the last week have been all about Cati. Yikes. So much for Confessions of a City Eater; this blog should be called "Obsession with a Catarina." I promise to get better about posting recipes, but for now I give you Parmesan Crusted Tilapia. I have made this fish dish twice and it has been equally delicious each time. The second time I forgot to mix the butter in the bread crumbs but I put butter slices to melt while it bake and it still came out great. The tilapia is tender and breaks away like a dream. This is the perfect recipe for a quick seafood dish.

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia
Source: Jennifer @ janedeereblog.blogspot.com on Tasty Kitchen

1-½ pound Tilapia Fillets, Or Other White Fish Like Cod Or Trout
3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon Grated Lemon Zest
½ teaspoons Kitchen Salt
½ teaspoons Lemon Pepper
1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
½ cups Parmesan Cheese, Grated (I used Kraft Parmesan Cheese)
¼ cups Butter, Softened

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Line a large baking pan with foil; spray with cooking spray. Place all fish fillets on the pan and pat dry with a clean paper towel.

In a small bowl, stir mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest, kitchen salt and lemon pepper until blended. Spread over top of each fillet. In another small bowl, mix bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and softened butter together until well blended. Spread evenly over the mayonnaise mixture on each fillet; pat crumb mixture lightly into the mayonnaise.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork and top is golden brown.

Cati's First Year in Four Minutes

Here's a little video of pictures taken during Cati's first year of life. Who would have thought I could condense her life in four minutes? I set the video to Michael Buble's "Haven't Met You Yet" because that's the first song she knew, recognized, and calmed down to when she heard. Plus, it's the first song she and I ever danced to so it has a lot of sentimental ties for me.

My baby is one and, surprisingly enough, I don't feel like crying or mourning the end of this stage. Maybe it's because I hated the newborn stage so much. More likely it's because I am utterly infatuated with the stage we are currently in and I can't wait to see what lies ahead for us. 

Twelve Months

Today is a milestone little one. It is a milestone for our entire family: it has been one year since you were born, one year since I gave birth to you, and one year since we became a little family. Today you say hello to toddlerhood and goodbye to babyhood.

And what a goodbye you gave. In the past month you have grown up so much and become such a little girl. I've said it before that I see you more as an active little person versus a blob of a baby but when I say that I mean I see you as an independent active little person. You can do so much on your own from walking to feeding yourself to playing on your own.

In this past month you have started to let others into your private little world. You bring us toys to play with you, you chat up a storm in your own little language, you like to engage us in games like peek-a-boo and hide-and-seek, and you aren't afraid of interacting with new people anymore (especially babies). You are so social and active.

The downside to you being so active is that now you hate sitting still and being tied down for more than ten minutes. Car rides and walks in the strollers have reverted back to that newborn stage because you start throwing a fit (in the form of crying, throwing toys, and swinging feet or some combination of those three things). My car now looks like a traveling Toys R Us because of all the things needed to keep you entertained and distracted. At one point this month I even timed your attention span: shortest time 32 seconds; longest time seven minutes.

You have always been a happy baby but this past month you showed us your range of emotions particularly anger and sadness. You showed us we could hurt your feelings by telling you no. You also showed us how much it hurts your feelings when I don't put you down to sleep myself. You are such a sentimental little girl and now it takes consolation on an emotional level to make you feel better as opposed to the consolation on a physical level marked by the first few months of your life. You also showed us your sense of humor and ability to understand the absurd (me skipping seems to be a personal favorite).

The past month in your life has been wonderful and magical. Each day my little stranger becomes more familiar. Each day I understand you better and see you as a wholly separate entity. The month was split in two for me: on one level the month was spent seeing you come into your own and letting us in your world and on another level it was spent in preparation of the one day that would celebrate the most amazing 365 days.

This past month you stopped drinking breast milk and started drinking cow's milk. You gained another tooth and expanded your vocabulary with the addition of "agua" (water) and you helped us realize day after day how lucky we are to be your parents.

Photo by Yania of Breathtaking Memories

Today is February 14th. Today you woke up to the most annoying rendition of "Happy Birthday to You". Today I not only get to reflect on the past month of your life but also the past year. Today is the day I get to assess the whole of your life instead of its parts. Today I get to celebrate you in the most loving way: one year ago you came into my life and blessed me with the gift of motherhood and unconditional love and awe. For that there are not enough thank yous in the world.