Adam // 2 months

I know how interesting these monthly update posts are for most people... Not!  ;) 

But because I know of a few readers who will definitely appreciate them (mom, sisters) and because I'm not taking notes of life any other place than this blog, here it goes!

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The last two months have been months of adjusting, enjoying, comparing (to how things were with Micha) and getting into a new flow.

Adam is nursing like a champ and growing like a weed.

Just like his brother he likes to be fed often, every two or three hours, except during the night, then it's every four or five hours, luckily for me!

His first smiles were seen around week two and he's been a smiley baby ever since.

He rarely cries, only when he's hungry or when his tummy is bothering him. And of course we regularly have a fussy hour in the evening. But he definitely is a pretty laid back little dude.

He loves his big brother, and always has a big smile for him every morning. 

His favorite thing to do is going in bath, lot's of smiles happen in the tummy tub!

He does not like being ignored, he's perfectly happy to lay in his playpen for a while, but when he's done, he's done, and he'll let you know!

All in all, he's great little man! I think we'll keep him! :)

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I didn't post a one month update, but I did make some pictures!

this was his birth announcement (photo credit: www.hansenlidyfotografie.nl/)

Don't you think he's grown like crazy??

Love, Maria

life lately

Making: Baked Falafel and homemade pita's for supper (so good!)
Drinking: Water, lots of water! Nursing makes you thirsty!
Reading: The newest Khaled Hosseini 'And the mountains echoed' (B. gave it to me as a gift for our 8th(!!) wedding anniversary this weekend)
Wanting: A bit more sleep
Watching: The Wire (so old, but pretty good!)
Eating: whatever's in the cupboard
Smelling: Baby's-Breath in a pretty bouquet of flowers (also a gift from my sweet husband of 8 years), it smells kind of funky, definitely not as good as my own baby's breath.
Wishing: Fall wouldn't arrive so soon!
Enjoying: The fact that I still have two more weeks of maternity leave
Loving: My smiley baby and my car crazy toddler.
Hoping: Micha's 'terrible two's' won't be too terrible. They're pretty intense already!
Needing: some cute new fall outfits, that will accommodate nursing
Feeling: Grateful for Adams baptism yesterday
Wearing: This sweater, love it so much!

Organizing: Micha's many cars by color :) 

Love, Maria

How to quickly satisfy a craving : Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake (no joke)

Oh my, breastfeeding makes a girl hun-gry!

I thought I was insatiable during pregnancy, but breastfeeding hunger is a whole other ball game.

The other day I was craving cake, I didn't care what kind as long as it could be whipped up and eaten within the time frame of a nap or two. 

Grocery shopping with a two-year-old and a newborn is no joke so I needed a recipe with ingredients I had in my kitchen. 

Cue my infamous Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake recipe.  

I'd made it before and I remember loving it, but mayonnaise? In a cake? Eww? 

Could my memory be failing me? 

But I had a craving and the only cake I could make with the ingredients I had on hand was the Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake. 

I had no choice.

The recipe is so simple a toddler could make it, but my toddler was sleeping so I had to do it myself.

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I could hardly believe it, but the cake turned out delicious! Chocolaty, moist and no mayonnaise taste whatsoever! I dare to say it is the best chocolate cake I've had in a long time.

I quickly whipped up some caramel sauce to top the cake, but I'm sure it would be delicious with chocolate frosting, or maybe even some cherry jam?

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

(I have no idea where I found the recipe and I've adjusted it quite a bit, so I'll just call it my own recipe)

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup cold water or cold coffee or a mix of both(I do a mix)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C) . 

In a bowl mix dry ingredients, add the wet ingredients.

Mix for two minutes.

Pour into a greased pan. 

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. (there should be a few wet crumbs on your knife when you test) 

Let cool completely, then frost with frosting or drizzle with caramel.

Enjoy!! 

Love, Maria

Life Lately

Okay, I'm back! Well, as much as I can at least. :)

B. went back to teaching yesterday, after six weeks at home, so I'm still figuring out the whole 'stay at home mom with two kids' thing. 

It's actually going surprisingly well so far (knock on wood).

I'll try to post at least once a week, and I'm working on Adams birth story, so that is coming up asap too!

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Wow, this summer has been so... great, exhausting, awesome, challenging, fantastic... what else?

Let's just say it has been special.

It started off with a bang, our beautiful son Adam arrived on his due date, June 27th.

I delivered him at home and it all went smoothly. I'll tell you all about it in his birth story!

He is doing so well, growing like a weed and he's such a happy, smiley baby. I'm feeling great too!

We celebrated Micha's second birthday on July 31st. He ordered a lion cake and a tiger cake, so what else could I do but deliver? 

We had a small party at a playground nearby and it was perfect.

He is such a two year old! Super sweet one moment and then the most aggressive being the other.

He is quite sweet and gentle with Adam though!

We enjoyed the warm days of summer at splash pads and our parents homes, our balcony is just not enough for our energetic Micha! Hopefully we'll be able to find a home with a yard before next summer!

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And now the temperatures are dropping and normal life is beginning and I'm back at blogging.

And it feels good!

How was your summer?

Love, Maria