Technorati Tags: Toddler
Monday, July 30, 2007
Okra Boy
All of the fried okra eaters I know (myself, I don't like it one bit) say that the best fried okra in town comes from the Wal-Mart deli, so we go there for Karston. This afternoon when I was checking out, the clerk Bessie said, Oh, he's the okra boy! Whenever we're near the deli counter, Karston says Okra okra okra, sometimes quite loudly, until he gets some. Since the okra is already weighed and priced, I let him eat it right away, and I pack juice so that he can wash it down. Today, Karston even told me that his okra would be hot-hot, so he would blow on it (puff, puff). Sure enough, that's what he did, even in the checkout lane when Bessie spotted him as a regular, the okra boy. Okra boy is a dubious honor, but at least Karston asks for and eats a vegetable.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Pediatrician: Two Years
Karston went to the pediatrician this morning, and the visit was very quick (out in 40 minutes!) and easy.
Vitals are 21 pounds 4.4 ounces (still not on the CDC chart, but on a similar trajectory so the doctor says he's fine), 31.25 inches tall (also not on the chart, but much closer to the 5th percentile), and 19" head circumference (around the 25th percentile). His weight-to-length ratio is in the 10th percentile, so he is tall for his weight even though he's light. His body mass index (which applies starting at age 2) is just over the 10th percentile mark too.
One of the child development questions the doctor asked was "does he line up blocks?" and the answer was "oh my, yes!"
In other words, it was pretty boring, but for a routine checkup, that's good.
Vitals are 21 pounds 4.4 ounces (still not on the CDC chart, but on a similar trajectory so the doctor says he's fine), 31.25 inches tall (also not on the chart, but much closer to the 5th percentile), and 19" head circumference (around the 25th percentile). His weight-to-length ratio is in the 10th percentile, so he is tall for his weight even though he's light. His body mass index (which applies starting at age 2) is just over the 10th percentile mark too.
One of the child development questions the doctor asked was "does he line up blocks?" and the answer was "oh my, yes!"
In other words, it was pretty boring, but for a routine checkup, that's good.
Technorati Tags: Toddler
Monday, July 09, 2007
Peanut Butter and Banana Muffins
Getting Karston to eat can be challenging, but really fresh food is a good start. He ate fresh-from-the-deli fried okra this morning, after refusing day-old then several-days-old fried okra this past week. When we got back from the store, Karston ate 2/3 of an unpeeled banana after turning his nose up at the 2/3 of a banana he started eating a few days ago.
So here I was this afternoon, with most of a banana that the kid wouldn't eat, and that I didn't want to throw it out. (A lot of my cooking starts this way: better make something before it goes bad.) I found this recipe for Peanut Butter and Banana Cookies that I decided to try. However, what I had only looked like 1/2 cup of banana, so I had to modify the recipe to cut it in half. (I can't follow a recipe anyway.)
2 Tbs margarine, softened
1/4 cup peanut butter, warmed
1/2 cup bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup unbleached enriched flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup Splenda
1/2 tsp baking soda
I preheated the toaster oven to 375°F, and covered the tray with tin foil. I melted the margarine (I used Blue Bonnet Light with half the fat because that's what I have) and mashed in the banana pieces. Then I stirred in the vanilla, and I couldn't resist a shake of cinnamon too (I love cinnamon). I added a scoop of peanut butter (I just guessed at a quarter cup of Smuckers Reduced Fat Natural Style). Then I sifted into the bowl the flour, sugar, splenda, and baking soda (I actually measured these ingredients). I mixed it with my immersion blender because the peanut butter was still cold and unworkable. Next time, I would warm the peanut butter with the margarine and just mix it with a fork so there are a few banana bites and a few peanut butter bites. I don't know if that will taste better, but I'd like to try it. I'll probably also try adding 1 Tbs molasses too.
I made one batch as cookies on the toaster over tray. Since that's my only toaster oven tray, I put the remaining batter in my silicone mini muffin pan (after spraying it). I baked them for 15 minutes in the toaster oven, but 12 minutes in a regular oven is probably right. I got 11 cookies from the first round and 12 mini muffins from the second round. After his nap, Karston put down one cookie and two-and-a-half mini muffins very quickly. When it's very fresh, Karston likes this recipe! Since it's a small recipe now that I could probably cut in half again, it's just right to dole out small fresh batches as long as we have a little bit of banana in the house. Which we don't, right now.
So here I was this afternoon, with most of a banana that the kid wouldn't eat, and that I didn't want to throw it out. (A lot of my cooking starts this way: better make something before it goes bad.) I found this recipe for Peanut Butter and Banana Cookies that I decided to try. However, what I had only looked like 1/2 cup of banana, so I had to modify the recipe to cut it in half. (I can't follow a recipe anyway.)
2 Tbs margarine, softened
1/4 cup peanut butter, warmed
1/2 cup bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup unbleached enriched flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup Splenda
1/2 tsp baking soda
I preheated the toaster oven to 375°F, and covered the tray with tin foil. I melted the margarine (I used Blue Bonnet Light with half the fat because that's what I have) and mashed in the banana pieces. Then I stirred in the vanilla, and I couldn't resist a shake of cinnamon too (I love cinnamon). I added a scoop of peanut butter (I just guessed at a quarter cup of Smuckers Reduced Fat Natural Style). Then I sifted into the bowl the flour, sugar, splenda, and baking soda (I actually measured these ingredients). I mixed it with my immersion blender because the peanut butter was still cold and unworkable. Next time, I would warm the peanut butter with the margarine and just mix it with a fork so there are a few banana bites and a few peanut butter bites. I don't know if that will taste better, but I'd like to try it. I'll probably also try adding 1 Tbs molasses too.
I made one batch as cookies on the toaster over tray. Since that's my only toaster oven tray, I put the remaining batter in my silicone mini muffin pan (after spraying it). I baked them for 15 minutes in the toaster oven, but 12 minutes in a regular oven is probably right. I got 11 cookies from the first round and 12 mini muffins from the second round. After his nap, Karston put down one cookie and two-and-a-half mini muffins very quickly. When it's very fresh, Karston likes this recipe! Since it's a small recipe now that I could probably cut in half again, it's just right to dole out small fresh batches as long as we have a little bit of banana in the house. Which we don't, right now.
Two Chocolate Doughnuts!
Most of Karston's words are much more distinct now. He used to say Ah-sha but now he says Outside. Okra (ahk-rah) and ice cream (ice cweem), two favorite foods, are more distinct now. A couple of words are still baby talk, though. He still says Ah-dah for again, and I heard Hah-dah for play recently. He still says shah-shah for chocolate.
This morning, Karston ate chocolate-covered doughnuts. The chocolate coat keeps them fresher longer, too. When he went back for seconds, the tastiest doughnuts were on the bottom, of course. Karston dug out two doughnuts, one for each hand, and looked at us with pure delight! Holding both arms out, one chocolate-covered doughnut in each hand, with a huge smile, Karston clearly said, "Two Shah-shah" before plowing food in his face.
We caught him counting to three a couple months ago. He walked up to the dishwasher, and tapped one - two - three doors past the dishwasher before opening the cabinet door to the trash can. If you're taller than the kitchen counter, the trash is in the first cabinet to the right of the sink; but if you're Karston's height, you need to count to the third cabinet door past the dishwasher. Karston really did seem to be paying attention to Sesame Street when the number of the day was two, and it seemed to soak in. He's had the concept of counting to two and three for a while, but now he knows the word for two is two! We were impressed!
This morning, Karston ate chocolate-covered doughnuts. The chocolate coat keeps them fresher longer, too. When he went back for seconds, the tastiest doughnuts were on the bottom, of course. Karston dug out two doughnuts, one for each hand, and looked at us with pure delight! Holding both arms out, one chocolate-covered doughnut in each hand, with a huge smile, Karston clearly said, "Two Shah-shah" before plowing food in his face.
We caught him counting to three a couple months ago. He walked up to the dishwasher, and tapped one - two - three doors past the dishwasher before opening the cabinet door to the trash can. If you're taller than the kitchen counter, the trash is in the first cabinet to the right of the sink; but if you're Karston's height, you need to count to the third cabinet door past the dishwasher. Karston really did seem to be paying attention to Sesame Street when the number of the day was two, and it seemed to soak in. He's had the concept of counting to two and three for a while, but now he knows the word for two is two! We were impressed!
Technorati Tags: Toddler
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
TWO
Today is Karston's second birthday!
A normal day at my mother's house already includes a lot of playing, so to make his birthday special, my mother took him to the Museum of Life and Science to play with other children. He followed a little girl, and was perfectly happy when she took away his sandbox toy. (He's very mild-mannered.)
When we got home from work, I hit the kitchen to get food ready for the horde while Karston played with his guests. We had dinner (weiners, corn-on-the-cob, and salad), and cinnamon flop as birthday cake (it's quick and tasty, so I can make it after work and eat it right away). I think we all had seconds of birthday cake, even Karston who is a picky eater! Karston was more interested in presents this year, so although he was still overwhelmed, he made it through many more presents this time.
When it got close to his bedtime, Karston walked over to everyone and said "Bye-bye" which was a real ice-breaker and party-ender. Karston had a ton of fun today, but I think he will enjoy a normal day tomorrow.
A normal day at my mother's house already includes a lot of playing, so to make his birthday special, my mother took him to the Museum of Life and Science to play with other children. He followed a little girl, and was perfectly happy when she took away his sandbox toy. (He's very mild-mannered.)
When we got home from work, I hit the kitchen to get food ready for the horde while Karston played with his guests. We had dinner (weiners, corn-on-the-cob, and salad), and cinnamon flop as birthday cake (it's quick and tasty, so I can make it after work and eat it right away). I think we all had seconds of birthday cake, even Karston who is a picky eater! Karston was more interested in presents this year, so although he was still overwhelmed, he made it through many more presents this time.
When it got close to his bedtime, Karston walked over to everyone and said "Bye-bye" which was a real ice-breaker and party-ender. Karston had a ton of fun today, but I think he will enjoy a normal day tomorrow.
Technorati Tags: Toddler
Monday, July 02, 2007
Blocks
I know the pediatrician will ask about Karston's stacking skills at his next appointment, so I've been taking mental notes. Three months ago, he stacked our groceries four high in the cart before the non-uniform shapes made the stack fall over. On Friday, Karston stacked his wooden blocks up to eight high before he couldn't resist knocking over the stack. He is a boy, so we need some destruction too! His Daddy and his grandparents were building block towers for him to knock over Friday, and he was getting creative, as well as wound up laughing his head off. He knocked some stacks over with his hands, some with his feet, and even some by sticking his belly out.
We played with blocks this morning too. Karston made stacks up to six high, and he knocked over stacks we built. Then I walked away so he could wind himself down for his nap. He told me MORE, and made me walk him downstairs so he could bring up two more small toy cars to add to the three he has upstairs. Then he fell asleep holding his cars. Then I noticed his blocks.
When I left the sunroom, his blocks were knocked over and scattered everywhere. When I next looked, his blocks were very carefully arranged in a very precise ell shape with well over 90% of the blocks with the brightly painted face up. My jaw dropped. I left this pattern intact so I could show Daddy who had the same reaction. Karston's not yet two, and he can be very precise. I know both of his parents are engineers, but this is remarkable. Blocks just came on his radar!
He also wants to make the world safe from stickers. He peeled stickers from our produce that we bought at the store this evening, asked for more to peel, and then collected all of the stickers to put in the trash. That's what I mean by precise ... things are just so ... careful patterns, and then he cleans up after himself. I never expected this from my toddler! But hey, I'm not complaining!
We played with blocks this morning too. Karston made stacks up to six high, and he knocked over stacks we built. Then I walked away so he could wind himself down for his nap. He told me MORE, and made me walk him downstairs so he could bring up two more small toy cars to add to the three he has upstairs. Then he fell asleep holding his cars. Then I noticed his blocks. When I left the sunroom, his blocks were knocked over and scattered everywhere. When I next looked, his blocks were very carefully arranged in a very precise ell shape with well over 90% of the blocks with the brightly painted face up. My jaw dropped. I left this pattern intact so I could show Daddy who had the same reaction. Karston's not yet two, and he can be very precise. I know both of his parents are engineers, but this is remarkable. Blocks just came on his radar!He also wants to make the world safe from stickers. He peeled stickers from our produce that we bought at the store this evening, asked for more to peel, and then collected all of the stickers to put in the trash. That's what I mean by precise ... things are just so ... careful patterns, and then he cleans up after himself. I never expected this from my toddler! But hey, I'm not complaining!
Technorati Tags: Toddler
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Durham Bulls
Karston went to his first Durham Bulls baseball game this evening. (It was also the first time for his grandparents.) When everyone else clapped and cheered, Karston joined in. When he saw Patrick Star from SpongeBob Squarepants, a visiting mascot, he got very excited and pointed to Patwick. However, when he got close to Patrick, he curled back into my arms because Patrick, like other mascots, really is quite large when you get up close. We walked over to the next section to talk to our neighbors (and deliver baby food for Dinah, since we didn't have to rush to the airport before the game). The evening was gorgeous, the Durham Bulls won, and we just couldn't ask for a nicer, reasonably-priced, child-friendly outing!
Technorati Tags: Toddler
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)