Back to work!

I've been back to work for a week and I wanted to update about it. It has gone really well. Wayyyy easier than I thought it would be.

My back to work schedule starts at 6 when Julian and I wake up. I'm ready and gone by 7-7:15. Then I spend the day with some really great 2nd graders. I walk out the door at 3:05 and I'm home around 3:30. My mom has her three days a week at my house and Julian watches her the other two. They have a rule that they must send me pics throughout the day....





















That's all I have time for these days :)

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15 months and eating

I want to use this as a reference for my next toddler. She is totally growing out of being a picky eater! I'm so excited! She now eats what we are eating (mostly because I make the family what I know she likes. If I do make something 'new' and she doesn't like it, I make her Annies.)

Eloise loves:
Apples
Bananas
Pears
Grapes
Peas
Yogurt
Smoothies
Ice cream - vanilla and chocolate
Anything chocolate including cookies, cakes, brownies
Kidney beans
Ground turkey
Cheese
Baked ziti
Pasta with marinara sauce
Almond butter and jelly sandwich
Grilled cheese and squash sandwich
Cocoa almond butter
Macaroni and cheese with cheddar
Turkey chili
Sweet potatoes
Fried
Sweet potato fries
Chicken nuggets
Pizza on a tortilla
Pieces of corn sometimes (?)
Bagel with cream cheese
Instant oatmeal that's flavored
Chestnut
Kashi berry blossoms
Earths best snack granola bars
Buttery crackers
Hummus
Popsicles (she licks)
Any sort of chip I've had that she begs for


Eloise doesn't like:
Pesto pasta
Blueberries
Meatloaf
Pieces of tomato
Real pizza
Mashed potatoes or pieces of potatoes
Broccoli

I am so thrilled her 'likes' are so much more than her 'dislikes'! I can't wait to see what else she likes!!





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busy bee

Now that Eloise is as such a fun, social age, we are beginning to get her involved in more programs.  She definitely is shy, and takes a while to warm up.  But, within an hour or so, she becomes a little busy bee.  She likes to entertain the crowd (she sings and dances with her princess or does funny things and laughs at herself). She is starting to understand playing with friends, even though sharing isn't her forte.  I am sure she will learn.

As of right now she goes to Swim Class on Monday mornings and that's all.  I am going back to work in exactly 2 weeks (!!) and then my mom will be taking her.  I am even thinking about signing her up for the next spring session of swim lessons.  She usually enjoys it (today she cried the whole time, who knows why?) and I think it will be good for her to constantly be in the pool.  Then every Tuesday, while I am working, Julian is going to drop Eloise off to my mom at the Barnes and Noble in the Monmouth mall and they have toddler story time at 10:30.  Then my mom is going to drive her up north and do lunch with her great grandmother. Probably after a quick trip to the Disney store haha. Everyone is so excited about Tuesdays up north, because all my aunts and uncles will probably be dropping everything they have to do, to go eat lunch with her.  Wednesdays are just regular days at home with her Nan (my mom).  They can go to the park and play in the playroom. Thursday and Friday's are Nan's days off.  So Julian is in charge.  Every thursday from March 29th-May 3rd, Eloise and her daddy are going to music class.  It is 45 minutes long and they sing and dance and play instruments.  I am surprised that Julian agreed to do this, but he seemed happy to join in and take her to toddler music class. HA! I hope he takes pictures because I would LOVE to see how this works. Friday's are days at home with daddy.  I am hoping that Eloise and Julian can take me out to lunch on Friday's once I get settled.

So that is Miss Busy Bee's schedule for the Spring. I am sad to know that I won't be there every second to play with her but I am even more happy she has fun things to do every week!

I am also very excited for summer.  I have a list of about 15 things we want to do this summer (dorwood splash park, sesame place, hershey park, camden aquarium, please touch museum, philadelphia zoo, etc.) and also we are going to see if there are some more mommy and me programs we can join.  I am interested in Mommy and Me gymnastics. I found a program at Devlin gymnastics for her age group that is pretty close to our house. They also have an art and music class at the Atlantic club and maybe some more swim classes.

I can't wait to watch Eloise experience all these fun, new things! Hopefully she will enjoy most of it :)

turkey chili

Eloise has a few 'go to's' as far as dinner is concerned: Mac and Cheese (it used to be only Annie's but she has really branched out. She'll eat any mac and cheese as long as it is made with cheddar. She also likes peas in it. I have come to terms with her picky eating), pizza on a tortilla, trader joe's chicken nuggets and sweet potato fries, and turkey chili with beans from the slow cooker.  She really enjoys this recipe and I am so happy to make it once a week for her. I changed a few things but this is the original recipe from my slow cooker cookbook.

CHILI WITH BEANS

1 lb each: lean ground beef, ground turkey (I only use the turkey, but I am sure it will be good with ground beef, too)
2 large onions, chopped (It depends how many onions I have, on how many I put in )
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
2 cans (10 1/2 oz/each) tomato sauce
2 cans kidney beans, rinsed, drained
2 TBS chili powder
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Cook ground beef and turkey in lightly greased large skillet over medium heat until browned, about 10 minutes, crumbling meat with a fork. Combine meat and remaining ingredients, except salt and pepper, in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours. season with salt and pepper.

boo-ya. Easy peasy rice and cheeseyyyyy and yummy. Even Miss Priss agrees.

Now go put those ingredients in a slow cooker and waste your time on pinterest.