Hey Mama, don't judge!

When I first learned I was pregnant, my eyes were opened up to a whole other world. A very exciting, scary, terrifying, judgement filled world. There was a little human being growing inside of me that I was responsible for, for the rest of my life. The rest of my life! Don't get me wrong, I love our little bean. She is the coolest person I know, and I wouldn't change a thing.

The world of baby information, baby gadgets, baby do's and baby don'ts are incredibly overwhelming for a new mother. I recall being so over cautious and nervous throughout my whole pregnancy. Once that little bean was born, thankfully, I relaxed. She was okay. She was more than okay. She was beautiful and healthy and all ours.

The first diaper change was hilarious. We had no idea what we were doing. We used half a carton of wipes and put the diaper on backwards. But hey, she survived. All of the you-tube videos and pre-natal classes in the world can't prepare you for the moments of parent-hood. It's a battleground, a messy journey and a learning curve that never ends. Little bean learns something new every day, and so do I.

Every move I make as a parent, I feel someone judging me. Whether it's family, or friends or someone at the grocery store. Everyone has their opinion on what's right and what's wrong. My take on parenthood is that there is no book that will tell you how to be a good parent. Being a good parent is doing the best you can for your little one day in and day out. What's right for me and my daughter, may not be right for your family. I don't claim to have all the answers, so neither should you. We all need to take a step back and realize that these little people are just that. They are their own little people. What works for one, won't necessarily work for all.

I have exclusively breastfed my daughter and she still nurses to this day (going strong at 16 months). I didn't have a clear view of whether I wanted to exclusively breastfeed my daughter, or offer her some formula from time to time. She seemed to make that decision for me. It has been a great comfort for her from day 1. She was a natural from the second I held her in my arms. It gives me great pride that I can provide this sanctuary for her where she can feel safe, protected and best of all; loved.

I'm always afraid to tell people that my daughter still nurses. The reactions are generally that of surprise with a hint of judgement.The funny this is, I don't judge you when you feed your daughter McDonald's for lunch or that juice box filled with sugar. I don't judge you when you're texting at the park and not playing with your child. I don't judge you for the fact that you didn't continue breastfeeding longer than a few months. I don't judge you for never breastfeeding your child. The reason I don't judge other parents is because I know that sometimes your kid just won't eat, and you're trying everything under the sun to get something in their tummy. I don't judge because for all I know, that was an incredibly important text from a family member. I don't judge because I realize that it's not everyone's first choice to breastfeed as long as I have. I don't judge because I'm aware that not every mother can produce enough milk for their little one.

I don't understand why mothers who choose to breastfeed are judged when medical professionals are encouraging mothers continue breastfeeding until the age of 2. I'm not screaming and shouting from the rooftops that every mother needs to do exactly as I'm doing. I'm not even breastfeeding in front of you. All I want is a little bit of mutual respect for choices I make as a parent. Can I get an Amen?!

Rhubarb Cookies with Lemon Icing

I love rhubarb and all of it's tangy-ness. I have memories as a wee one eating cooked rhubarb by the spoonful. Rhubarb is healthy and delicious and it grows like a weed. My usual rhubarb recipes only went as far as rhubarb pie and rhubarb crisp, which is why I was so delighted to find a new rhubarb staple. Rhubarb cookies. With lemon icing. When I told my husband what I was baking, he groaned. He hates rhubarb. Much to both of our delight, he was immediately in love with these soft, buttery, almost muffin like gems. The icing doesn't hurt either. Icing makes the world go round if you ask me.

I made some adjustments from the original recipe. One cup of butter seemed like a lot to me, so I used 1/2 cup of butter and 1/2 cup of greek yogurt. The result was divine. You can also use half whole wheat flour instead of all white. I warn you to not use all whole wheat or you will likely end up with something that more or less resembles a hockey puck. The original recipe also used cream cheese icing (which I didn't have at the time), so I improvised and used my favourite lemon icing recipe. These are the perfect summer cookie!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)
• 1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour or (1 1/2 whole wheat, 1 1/2 all purpose)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups diced fresh rhubarb
• 3/4 cup flaked coconut

Lemon Icing:

• 2 tbsp butter, soft
• 2-3 cups icing sugar
• juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

• In a large bowl, cream butter, yogurt and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture.
• Stir in rhubarb and coconut. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto non-stick baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
• In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread over cooled cookies. Yield: about 5 dozen.

Original recipe here: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/frosted-rhubarb-cookies

Chrome night stands

We recently purchased our first home. It's a fixer upper, to put it lightly. My husband and father in-law are pretty handy as it turns out, so they've been busting their little hineys getting this place in tip top shape. I will be sharing some of the DIY renos that we have completed a little later, but here's one of my favourite inexpensive ways to modernize old furniture. Spray paint is my new best friend. It's quick, it's cheap and it's easy. We took these old nightstands and gave them a completely new look. First step is sanding. It's very important to make sure the surface is evenly sanded so the paint will adhere properly. After you'e sanded, make sure to wipe away all of the excess dust with a damp rag. Now you're ready to paint. A nozzle that attaches to the spray paint can will be your best friend in this process. Start with light, even coats allowing the paint to dry for at least a couple of hours before a second coat. We ended up with drips in places, so another round of sanding was required. Two coats of paint later, these beauties were ready. We gave them a few days before bringing them in for the paint to set completely. I love them to pieces! The rest of the furniture had better watch out...

Whole Wheat Greek Yogurt Waffles

I'm obsessed with greek yogurt. I like it for breakfast, dessert, snacks, baking and now making waffles. Swap out all of that oil in regular waffles for greek yogurt. The result is delicious, protein packed and healthy! My little girl loves her whole wheat blueberry greek yogurt waffles any time of the day! 

Ingredients:

2 eggs 
1 3/4 cup milk 
1/2 cup greek yogurt 
1 tablespoon honey 
1 tablespoon + 2 tsp baking powder 
1/4 tsp salt 
1tsp vanilla extract
2 cups of whole wheat flour 
1/2 cup of blueberries (optional)

Instructions:

1) In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, yogurt and honey. Whisk for at least a couple of minutes until it is well combined and fluffy.  
2) In a separate bowl, sift the baking powder, salt and flour and stir until well combined and add to your liquid mixture.
3) Cook on a heated waffle iron until golden brown. (Don't forget to spray it!)



Original recipe from: http://www.thestayathomechef.com/2013/04/greek-yogurt-waffles.html

Healthy Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

My husband has a bit of addiction to chocolate and peanut butter. Heck, can you blame him?! It's a heavenly combination. Healthy and brownie in the same sentence. I know what you're thinking, but I'm not crazy...these are GOOD and they're actually good for you, too! This recipe is gluten free too as long as the oats you're using are certified gluten free! You could always make this recipe dairy free as well by using almond milk and soy or goats yogurt. I adapted this recipe from the original by using honey instead of white sugar and plain greek yogurt instead of vanilla and adding 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. The first time I made these, I used 1/2 cup of honey instead of 1 cup of white sugar, and the result was good...but not sweet enough for my taste buds. I also changed the title from "Skinny" to "Healthy". I don't like implying that these brownies will in any way, shape or form make you skinny or that you need to  be skinny, because you don't. Emphasis is on healthy. :)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup of greek yogurt 
1/4 cup of  low fat milk
1 large egg (or 2 egg whites)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 rolled oats
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup of low fat creamy peanut butter

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 350F. Spray an 8×8 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
2 )Place all of the ingredients except for the peanut butter into a blender or food processor. (Yes, a blender!) For easier blending, place the liquid ingredients into the blender first. Blend until mix is smooth and oats are ground up. You will have to stop the blender and scrape down the sides a few times.
3) Pour batter into the prepared baking dish...it will be thin, don't worry that's why they're so fudgy and delicious! Microwave peanut butter for about 30 seconds. Drop melted peanut butter by spoonfuls onto the batter, swirling gently with a knife to create a pretty marbled effect. 
4) Bake for 20-25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Brownies will be extra fudgy, so be sure to wait until COMPLETELY cooled . Cut into 12 squares and enjoy!

Hubby loved these! You can tell they're on the healthier side for you, but they have everything you want in a dessert. Chocolatey, fudgey, peanut buttery deliciousness. 


I found the original recipe here: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2012/06/10/skinny-peanut-butter-swirl-brownies/.

My little nugget...

I have to say...I am completely new to this hip blogging thing. I love to write and create, but for some reason never ventured into the world of blogging...until now that is. 

Today, my little nugget refused her nap, which obviously frustrated me to no end for many reasons. There's cleaning and laundry to do, I had yet to shower and it was well passed noon. She's the type of kid who will stay up past her parents bed time all wired like she has a stash of pure sugar somewhere in the house that we have yet to find. Anyone else have one of these kids? Anyways, if she naps too late in the day we all suffer. 

After about 5 minutes of feeling sorry for myself I stopped and realized that it is not the end of the world if the laundry is all wrinkled by the time I get to it, or if my shower waits a few more hours or even if this blog post never gets completed. Sometimes, I find myself getting caught up in the mundane tasks of life and parenthood and forget to focus on what's most important and right in front of me. Watching her face as she plays with one of my scarves for the better part of an hour is what's important. I should thank my lucky stars that I am so fortunate to be around every day kissing her boo-boos and watching her discover life and all of its infinite treasures. 

My advice? Stop the glorification of busy and revel in the moments of nothing...you never know what special memories you'll make.