playing catch-up

Hi everyone! What do you think of the new blog look? I decided it was time for a change, and fall themes were calling my name.

I could really get used to five-day weekends! Since I don't work on Fridays or Tuesdays, whenever there's a Monday holiday I'm off for five days. Celia and I had a nice day together yesterday. We went grocery shopping and did some errands. At the store, Pita insisted on carrying my shopping list and walking next to me to help push the cart. In fact, she also insisted that she was completely in charge. Whenever I tried to look at the list, she would say "No, Mommy. My list." Oh dear. Other than that, we played outside and around the house, and I prepped dinner and did some decluttering during her nap.

Speaking of Celia's new favorite word, "my", she is really getting very possessive of things. When she wouldn't eat her dinner last night and Chris asked if he could have it, she told him to get his own! She is also wanting to be independent with more things. The other day I asked if she wanted help and she said "No, self"- as in, she would do it herself. She also doesn't always want her hand held and prefers to walk beside me holding her own hands together. It cracks me up when she wants to hold her own hand. We have a two-year-old in the making for sure.

This morning Celia slept in until 7:30. It was so nice because I usually get up around 6, so I had a lot of time to myself this morning. She has been sleeping later than usual lately and I can see the difference in her mood. She doesn't get tired and cranky during the day when she sleeps longer. When she got up, she had breakfast and watched her favorite Sesame Street while I quickly made a new recipe I've been wanting to try: Pumpkin Pie Brownie Cupcakes. Oh boy are these good! They were very easy to make, too.

I made some regular sized ones,

And a few mini-sized for Celia.

It was only 9:00 in the morning, but we had to try just a few bites.

Pita was looking pretty cute this morning.

She doesn't usually want anything in her hair, but this morning she asked for a barrette. She loved wearing it and even wanted to show the cats ("Look China, barrette!"). It only lasted about 45 minutes before I found it on the floor.

My parents are visiting today. Celia has been very busy bossing them around- I mean, playing with them. :D

I went out for a bit to meet Chris for lunch, have gotten some cleaning done, and am about to have one of my pumpkin brownie cupcakes with some coffee! After that, packing for work and daycare tomorrow, more cleaning (blech, I hate vacuuming the car), and I think I'll take a little walk. Starting tomorrow I should be ready to start running and working out fully again. I'm still a bit more tired than usual, but the soreness in my quads is gone today.